


sweet talk

by s_coups



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fraternities & Sororities, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, taeyong is babied by everyone, that's it that's the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-04-14 03:24:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14127045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_coups/pseuds/s_coups
Summary: a spring of firsts for lee taeyong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> the grind never stops! and by the grind i mean i'm on a high of posting fics i haven't finished as chaptered so i can force myself to finish writing them!  
> there is a playlist that goes along with this fic that [you can listen to here](https://open.spotify.com/user/efirny/playlist/5XYQBYM8dmglO9QRkYcY7Z?si=LA_EhoyLTDCAnnZ9JAXe5g). title comes from the song of the same name by saint motel!

Taeyong wouldn’t say he was the _baby_ of the group. Technically, he’s one of the oldest amongst his friends (the only one older than him was Taeil, but as the only alpha in their friend group, even if he was younger he would still be treated like the eldest), but that doesn’t stop all of them from babying him anyway. He wouldn’t say he was the baby, but _they_ would.

He thinks this over as he stares at his ceiling, counting the minutes until his morning alarm goes off. He always wakes up just before it, his circadian rhythm perfectly synced with it. He probably doesn’t even need to set it anymore, but even the idea of accidentally oversleeping and missing class gives him anxiety, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

On the other side of the wall, he hears Yuta’s alarm go off in a shrill ringing. It’s followed by noises that sound like various items falling to the floor, and, as usual, Yuta’s deep voice cooing at Doyoung incoherently.

He picks up his phone about ten seconds later, still on silent mode, and sure enough, a notification from their group chat appears on his lockscreen.

**yuta** : _tae you awake yet?_

**taeyong** : _yes_

There’s a sudden pounding against the wall, and Taeyong almost jumps out of his skin.

“Good morning, starshine!” Yuta shrieks on the other side. Taeyong scowls.

**taeyong** : _…_

**taeyong** : _it’s not even 9 yet_

**taeyong** : _can you just be quiet until at least 9:30?_

He hears both boys walking around in Yuta’s room now. The sound of his bedroom door opens, and their voices get clearer as they enter the living room, arguing about what sounds like pancakes.

**sicheng** : _you guys live in the same fucking dorm can’t you just talk in person instead of using the gc_

**doyoung** : _negative, because then that means taeyong would have to get out of his precious bed, which we all know he hates doing._

Taeyong turns his phone on Do Not Disturb mode and falls back against his sheets. Listening to Yuta and Doyoung talk in sickly sweet voices at each other every morning over the breakfast table was starting to get to him. There was only so much he could take, and not just because it was gross as hell and made him cringe so bad he could barely hold his food down.

Taeyong was a twenty one year old omega and he was still a virgin. He hadn't even had his first kiss yet. Taeil was always trying to comfort him by saying it wasn't that rare, that eventually he'd find someone, these things take time. It was nice of him to say, but it never really helped.

If he was being honest with himself, that was probably why all his friends babied him. They never said it out loud, but he knew that they saw him as this innocent little omega, naive and starry eyed, who needed his hand held through all his firsts.

Add to that his roommates (or roommate, he should say, because Doyoung, a beta, doesn't even technically live with them- he's just made himself a permanent guest in Yuta's bed) who are head over heels in love and can't spend more than five minutes without saying _I love you,_ and Taeyong is left with a hollow feeling in his chest every night and a little voice in the back of his head asking him why he's so unlovable and still alone.

There's a knock on his door then, and Doyoung's soft voice sounds behind it. "I'm making chocolate chip pancakes," He announces. "Come out before Yuta eats all of the batter."

"'Kay," Taeyong replies lamely. He listens to Doyoung's retreating footsteps before rolling onto his side and pulling his covers over his head. If Yuta tries to spoon feed him his breakfast _again_ today, he was going to strangle him.

 

Taeyong takes his phone off Do Not Disturb mode during his second lecture of the day, solely because he's so bored he thinks his head is going to explode. He keeps it on silent, because the group chat was almost constantly active, which means if he put it on anything else it would just be a constant vibration sounding from his bag and someone would probably think he brought a dildo to class.

Sure enough, he has over 300+ messages waiting for him. He scrolls through them all, just barely skimming the content of the texts until he reaches the bottom.

**yuta** : _it was just 9 hours of me screaming and doyoung crying_

**doyoung** : _i didn’t CRY fuck you_

**yuta** : _you did_

**taeil** : _It's okay I cried when Eleven showed up and hugged Mike_

**sicheng** : _SPOILERS YOU HEATHENS, I HAVEN’T WATCHED YET_

**doyoung** : _that sounds like a you problem_

**yuta** : _the new season came out like 6 months ago where have you been_

**taeyong** : _hey i love you guys but why do you all have so much energy so early in the morning_

**doyoung** : _IS THAT MY BABY BOY_

**yuta** : _about damn time bitch_

**yuta** : _did you have us on silent again_

**sicheng** : _you ass_

**taeyong** : _i’m at this thing, i don’t know if you guys know it. it’s called “class”._

**yuta** : _never heard of it_

**doyoung** : _sounds like a disease_

**taeil** : _Don’t listen to them Tae you’re a good baby boy who studies hard :-)_

**taeyong** : _…._

**taeyong** : _we are almost the same age._

**taeil** : _What is your point?_

Taeyong sighs and puts his phone face down on the desk. He leans back in his seat, crossing his arms and trying not to pout because he’s in public and he’ll just look stupid.

He takes a look around, eyeing the alphas in the room. In this specific class (Algebra & Trig), there were five alphas in a class of thirty eight. A third of the remaining thirty three were omegas, and the rest were betas.

In the front row there was a tall, gangly alpha named Chanyeol with flaming red hair and legs that went on for miles. In the far back, to Taeyong’s right, there was Taemin and Jongin, who were always together, and, if he was being honest, were slightly intimidating. He’d heard before this semester that they liked to tag team omegas together, and just thinking of having both of them looming over him, eyes dark and pheromones coming off them in waves has Taeyong feeling overwhelmed.

He usually doesn’t linger his gaze on those two, for his own sanity.

Beside Taeyong was a sweet, older alpha named Junmyeon. He was the only alpha Taeyong had ever met who had politely bowed and asked Taeyong if it was alright he sat beside him. He was a little old school, probably raised by an earlier generation that held alpha’s to much higher standards and put omega’s on pedestals.

But Taeyong’s favorite, by far, is the alpha seated directly in front of him, Sehun. He had a slightly smaller build compared to the other alphas in the class, but what he lacked in muscle he made up for in sheer force. The second he had stepped into the classroom on the first day, Taeyong had almost broken his neck whipping around to look for the source of that delicious alpha scent.

And it wasn’t even on purpose. Sehun just exuded a sort of power, a heady scent that made Taeyong lightheaded, a energy around him that screamed _alpha._ The scent always faded as the class progressed, the ticking clock only upsetting Taeyong further as the pleasant scent faded into a simpler, more muted tone that all alphas carried.

It didn’t help that every time Sehun came to class, he was glowering like he’d stepped in dog shit, face curled into a grimace, hair tousled so effortlessly and leather jacket shining under the fluorescent lights. Every time Taeyong accidentally caught his eye and was the recipient of that glare, he could feel something hot stir in his gut, squirming in his seat to reduce the sudden tightness in his jeans.

So, it was only natural Taeyong wanted to rile him up. Wanted to get him even angrier, wanted to be the source of that anger. If he wanted to irritate an alpha to the point they snapped and fucked him into submission behind the Mathematics Building, snarling filth into his ear and maybe pulling his hair a little, there was nothing stopping him.

As if on cue, the sides of his phone glow from where it’s face down, alerting him of another text in the group chat. He stuffs his phone into his backpack and ignores them. They didn’t have to know about his dirty little secret.

Taeyong slides down in his seat as subtley as he can, just slightly so his knees poke out from under the desk and his sneakers just barely brush the legs of Sehun’s chair. With the mechanical precision of a clock, Taeyong spreads his legs open beneath the desk to the point his thighs ache, and leans back as casually as he can.

The effect on the alphas is almost instantaneous. Beside him, Junmyeon stiffens considerably, pencil suddenly snapping under the pressure of his own hand. He can see the way Chanyeol snaps to attention in the front, back straightening and chin tilting in Taeyong’s direction, inhaling. He can feel Jongin and Taemin’s gazes burning a hole into the back of his neck, but he really couldn’t care less.

Stubbornly, he keeps his eyes fixed on the back of Sehun’s head, waiting patiently. But nothing. Sehun barely moves. A few minutes in, he tilts his head back a little, and Taeyong’s heart jumps in his throat, thinking maybe, finally, he’s gotten the alpha’s attention; but Sehun just cracks his neck loudly and returns to his note taking.

Taeyong sighs heavily, trying not to look too forlorn. He didn’t understand why the alpha didn’t react to his scent at all. He wasn’t being narcissistic- all omegas had a powerful scent that drew alphas in, especially if they used it with a purpose like Taeyong was doing- but even spreading his legs and letting his pheromones waft out openly does nothing to ruffle the elder’s feathers.

Junmyeon’s chair scrapes loudly against the floor as he stands suddenly, mumbling something about using the bathroom and promptly fleeing the classroom. The teacher and all the other students haven’t noticed anything wrong yet, although a few omegas in the next row were sniffing the air curiously, like they could sense the alphas pheromones in the rooms spiking.

Taeyong sits up, closing his legs. Chanyeol, who’s turned around to look at him fully now, looks disappointed. Taemin and Jongin were still leering at him, eyes narrowed, muttering to each other. Junmyeon eventually comes back a few minutes later, face flushed and red and looking extremely embarrassed. When he sits down, he subtly slides his chair a few extra inches away from Taeyong.

When they're dismissed, half the class is already out of their seats, including Sehun. Taeyong stares pathetically at him as he passes, but the alpha doesn’t even spare him a glance, in just of a hurry to get out of class as everyone else. It’s only when Taeyong is finally shoving his notebook in his bag and preparing to leave that he notices he’s the only one left in a room with four other alphas.

In the front of the room, Chanyeol stands by the door, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot like he’s trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Taemin and Jongin are still openly staring at Taeyong- he’s pretty sure Taemin is sporting a hard-on. The only thing stopping them from approaching him is Junmyeon, who’s still seated beside Taeyong, trying as quickly as possible to scribble down the notes on the board he had missed during his little bathroom trip.

Taeyong’s stomach turns uncomfortably, suddenly feeling overwhelmed being the only omega left in the room.

Realistically, he knew none of them would actually bother him unless he approached them first, but his chest still tightened as he shuffled past Junmyeon and tried to figure out the best way for him to get to the door without passing too close to the others.

Like a blessing from the heavens, the classroom door swings open and Taeil stands there. Immediately sensing the tension in the room, Taeil furrows his brow, squares his shoulders, and says to Taeyong, “You okay, baby boy?”

Relief floods through Taeyong like a dam opening. He nods, hurrying to the elder on slightly wobbly legs. Taeil opens his arms for him, his warm, solid chest and familiar scent immediately comforting the younger.

The tension in the room shifts its focus from Taeyong to Taeil. Chanyeol bites the inside of his cheek, looking more than a little jealous at the way Taeil holds Taeyong close. Junmyeon lurches to his feet again, avoiding everyone’s gaze and doing his best to zig zag his way around the desks and out of the classroom as fast as possible. Jongin and Taemin are staring Taeil down, like they think if they glare hard enough the other alpha will back down and let them take Taeyong from his arms.

Taeil keeps one arm protectively wrapped around Taeyong’s waist. The younger can practically feel Taeil glowering over his shoulder at the other alphas, a full warning to stay away from the omega.

Once they’re a fair distance away (outside the building, at least), Taeil’s hold slacks, and he turns with a hard, worried look on his face to Taeyong.

“What happened?” He asks, voice stern. Taeyong’s mouth twists, and he looks down at his shoes, kicking the sidewalk childishly.

“Nothing,” He mumbles, feeling like a chastised kid. “I didn’t realize all of the class had left and when I got up they were all staring at me.”

Taeil’s eyes soften, and he gently tilts Taeyong’s chin up so he can meet his gaze. “You need to be more careful. You’re okay, though, right?”

Taeyong nods in lieu of a response. He leans in and wraps his arms around Taeil’s middle, pressing his face against his chest. Taeil’s scent didn’t affect Taeyong the same way Sehun’s did; Taeil’s was warm and comforting, something that made Taeyong feel safe. The best way to describe Taeil would be as a father figure, although Taeyong blanches at the thought of referring to the elder as Daddy.

For extra effect, he rubs his cheek against Taeil’s shirt, hoping some of his scent would rub off on the younger and he would smell like him for the rest of the day to ward off any other leering alphas. He usually sees Taeil in the morning to garner his scent, but the elder had had an early class today and Taeyong had been left to leave his dorm with nothing but his own scent, feeling oddly bare.

Taeil laughs, chest rumbling under Taeyong’s face, but doesn’t move to pull him away. He wraps his arms around Taeyong protectively, holding him close. “Keep your phone on vibrate next time. I texted you I was outside your class and when you didn’t come out with the rest of them, I got nervous.”

“Sorry,” Taeyong mumbles, not really sorry at all. “It’s that fucking group chat.”

 

It’s later that week, while at a coffee shop just off campus, that Taeyong finds out exactly _why_ his scent didn’t affect Sehun at all.

Taeyong almost chokes on his tea when he hears Yuta mention his friend Sehun, a beta, that he was doing a group project with. Doyoung has to slap the elder on the back a few times before Taeyong can catch his breath and speak properly.

“Did you say Sehun? Like Oh Sehun?” Taeyong coughs. Yuta nods. “He’s a _beta_?”

“What’s wrong, were you hoping he was a big strong alpha that you could seduce?” Sicheng teases.

“Yeah, I was,” Taeyong blurts out without thinking. All his friends look a little shocked, and he’s reminded again that they all think he’s a naive little virgin, so he quickly makes up for it by adding, “I mean, I thought he was an alpha. He had a really strong alpha scent.”

Taeil furrows his brow. “Is he in your math class?”

“How did you know?”

“It’s not his scent you’re smelling, it’s the alpha he’s fucking,” Taeil explains. “I smelled it, too, when I picked you up from class the other day. I’d know that scent anywhere.”

“Who is it?” Doyoung asks eagerly.

Taeil makes a grim face. “Seo Johnny.”

Yuta makes a face as well, and Sicheng snorts. Taeyong doesn’t know who that is, or whether the others reactions were considered good or bad.

“He’s a frat boy,” Doyoung explains, noticing Taeyong’s confused expression. “He’s a notorious player, too. He’s probably fucked half the omega’s on campus.”

“Looks like he’s moved on to beta’s, now,” Taeil comments off-handedly. “He’s seriously sleazy, Tae.”

Taeyong is too busy lost in his own thoughts to respond. So, Sehun wasn’t an alpha at all? Taeyong was attracted to the scent of the alpha he was fucking? A shiver runs down Taeyong’s spine at just the thought of how potent the alpha’s scent must be in person if he was only smelling the aftereffects of it on Sehun.

On the other hand, he had absolutely no idea who Johnny was. He didn’t even know what he looked like.

 

Taeyong is left feeling only a little bit empty, and strangely jealous the next time he sees Sehun. Mostly because Sehun was fucking an alpha with such a delicious smelling scent Taeyong would most definitely drop to his knees the second he meets said alpha. But that’s another story.

It must show on his face when Sehun comes to class that day, because the beta does a double take for the first time, looking a little surprised at Taeyong’s death stare.

“Uh,” He begins, but Taeyong just scowls even more, and the elder seems to decide against saying anything and instead just turns around and sits in his chair.

His glower and sour mood must be enough to upset the alpha’s in the room and gather their attention, because Junmyeon looks concerned when he takes his seat beside him, brows knitted together.

“Are you alright?” He asks immediately, followed with a look that Taeyong can’t place. Almost like the elder is surprised he himself even asked that.

Taeyong twists his mouth and tries not to sound too grumpy when he mumbles, “I’m fine.”

Junmyeon purses his lips but says nothing, eyes still flashing with worry. Across the room, Taeyong can spot Jongin and Taemin glancing at him periodically, looking unsettled.

**taeyong** : _why do alphas get upset when im upset_

**sicheng** : _what_

**yuta** : _WHY ARE YOU UPSET MY DARLING SWEET LITTLE PRINCE_

**taeil** : _It’s your pheromones_

**yuta** : _WHO HURT YOU_

**doyoung** : _i’ll fight them_

**taeil** : _When omegas are distressed alphas can smell it in your pheromones. We can tell when you’re upset and it’s uncomfortable for us as well._

Taeyong looks up at this. Junmyeon meets his gaze, flushing a little at being caught staring. In the front of the room, Chanyeol keeps spinning in his chair and subtly trying to check Taeyong’s expression.

**taeyong** : _thats stupid :(_

**taeyong** : _just let me be upset in peace_

**taeil** : _It gets worse when you mate, because then your alpha is attuned to your body and can tell when you’re upset before you can_

**sicheng** : _okay but the real issue here is WHY is tae upset_

**yuta** : _THANK YOU IM STILL WAITING FOR AN ANSWER_

**doyoung** : _still waiting to hear who i have to fight_

**taeyong** : _no one, i’m just in a bad mood_

**taeyong** : _im okay_

**taeyong** : _thanks hyung_

**taeil** : _You sure?_

Taeyong sends a thumbs up emoji and pockets his phone. Seeing that he’s disturbing the alpha’s in the room with his mood only further distresses him. He crosses his arms and sinks lower in his seat, trying not to pout. Junmyeon catches the movement and watches him sharply like a nervous mother.

 

Taeyong meets Johnny two days later.

It’s a Wednesday, to be exact. Mid-afternoon. It’s that time of year where the weather is just starting to warm up, the bare trees sprouting buds that’ll blossom into pretty flowers within a few weeks time.

They’re all sitting out on the quad, enjoying one of the first sunny days since fall. Taeyong is slumped between Taeil’s legs, head resting against the elder’s stomach. Taeil has a book open on top of Taeyong’s head, humming every few minutes in response to whatever argument Yuta and Sicheng were currently having.

All Taeyong hears is “Heads up!”, and suddenly Taeil lurches forward, pushing Taeyong down as though to protect him from harm. There’s a small _thwack!_ against Taeyong’s thigh _,_ and he almost snorts when he sees it’s just a frisbee.

“I’m okay, hyung,” Taeyong laughs, wiggling out of Taeil’s grasp. He picks up the frisbee and starts getting to his feet, and that’s when it hits him.

The scent is so overpowering it makes him dizzy. His head spins, and all his senses zone in on the person running over to them, calling, “Sorry!”

Taeyong finally rises to his feet, trying to take deep breaths, but the closer the person gets, the more powerful their scent gets. Taeyong knows it immediately- it’s the alpha scent Sehun has reeked of since the first day of the semester. Seo Johnny.

Taeyong is extremely obvious in the way he looks the alpha up and down. He’s a couple inches taller than Taeyong, with impossibly long legs and a face that could probably put the gods to shame.

The first thing that flits through Taeyong’s mind is _submit_ ; so that’s exactly what he does. Similar to how he’d imagined his first meeting with the mysterious alpha to be, he almost immediately collapses, legs giving out and landing him in a perfect submissive pose- on his knees, head thrown back to stare at the alpha so his neck is exposed and presented to him.

Behind him, Taeyong hears his friends let out noises of surprise, and there are definitely people on the quad staring. But his heart is beating so loudly, and he feels like he’s wrapped in Johnny’s scent, everything boiling down and leaving only his animalistic, omega instincts left.

Johnny looks stunned, staring down at Taeyong with a confused expression. His eyes dart towards Taeyong’s friends, around the quad at the people around them, and then back to Taeyong.

“Hey, come on now,” Johnny says, a bit awkwardly. He reaches down to help Taeyong to his feet, curling his hands around the omega’s biceps.

The second they touch, something electric zips through Taeyong, giving him a full body shiver. Johnny must feel it, too, because his grip tightens considerably on Taeyong’s arms, and he tenses suddenly. They lock eyes, and Johnny’s eyes look a little cloudy, like he’s not entirely there.

Taeyong can’t help the way he tilts his head back even more, going limp in Johnny’s hold and letting out the tiniest of whimpers.

Johnny hauls Taeyong to his feet with a surprising amount of strength the same time Taeil finally moves forward and pulls Taeyong back towards him. Taeyong immediately panics, reaching out to grab a fistful of Johnny’s shirt and keep himself as close to the alpha as physically possible. Johnny lets out a growl that sounds almost carnal, pulling Taeyong towards him, but Taeil is just as strong, and he drags Taeyong back.

“We’re in public,” Taeil snarls, voice taking on a sharp tone Taeyong rarely hears him use. “Let go of him.”

_“You_ let go of him,” Johnny snaps, voice deep and rumbling through his chest.

Taeil sucks his teeth loudly. “Don’t be fucking stupid. We’re in _public._ ”

Someone comes running up to them then, frowning. It’s another alpha, and his presence just makes Taeyong want to rub himself against Johnny and cover himself with his scent to let anyone else know he was taken.

“What’s going on?” The other alpha asks, looking concerned.

“Nothing,” Johnny says, eyes locking with Taeyong’s again, the same time Taeil growls, “Tell him to back off.”

The alpha takes one look at Taeyong and immediately tugs at Johnny’s arm. “C’mon, man, let’s go. You can talk to him later.”

Johnny breaks their gaze to look uncertainly at the boy. That same panic from before rises up in Taeyong’s chest at the idea of Johnny leaving, and he shakes his head wildly, pulling vehemently away from Taeil’s grip so he can latch himself onto Johnny’s shirt.

“Don’t go, don’t go, please,” Taeyong gasps. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows he’s being a stupid, but all he can focus on is making sure Johnny stays _here,_ with him.

Johnny whips around, eyes going soft and gentle. He lets go of Taeyong’s arms to carefully cup his face in his hands, and Taeyong’s heart melts at the gesture, face flushing.

“I’m not gonna-” Johnny begins, but he’s cut off when Taeil suddenly wraps an arm around Taeyong’s chest and hauls him backward, effectively pulling him away from the other alpha.

“Wait!” Taeyong cries out. But the moment he’s pulled away, Sicheng and Yuta are helping Taeil tug him back, already dragging Taeyong away. Johnny looks furious, glaring at Taeil, who’s just glaring back, snapping something at the other that Taeyong can’t hear. Another alpha comes running over, joining Johnny’s friend in pulling him in the opposite direction.

“Let me go!” Taeyong tries again. Yuta just gives him a pitiful look and says nothing as they drag him away.

 

It takes almost half an hour for them to get Taeyong back to his dorm, mostly because he went the whole way kicking and screaming. He was definitely attracting attention from students and a few worried looking professors, but Taeil marched forward determinedly, refusing to even respond to Taeyong’s yelling until they hauled him inside and locked the door.

He immediately turns on his heel and heads for the door, only to be pushed back by an angry looking Taeil. Taeyong glares at him.

“What are you doing?” He demands. “Let me leave.”

To his right, Yuta and Sicheng look uncomfortable, eyeing Taeil especially like they’re afraid he’s going to snap. Instead the eldest just glares back at Taeyong, crossing his arms.

“You need to calm down,” He insists. “You’re head isn’t clear right now. You can see Johnny later-”

“I want to see him _now!_ ” Taeyong shrieks, voice coming out strained. He stamps his foot much like a child, hands balling into fists. “Why won’t you let me see him!?”

“Because you’re not ready to see him!” Taeil shoots back. “When you’ve calmed down, you can meet him under supervision and-”

“You’re not my fucking father!” Taeyong snaps. Yuta gives him a startled look, taking a step back and pulling Sicheng with him when Taeyong moves forward and pushes his hands against Taeil’s chest. It doesn’t do much, because Taeil is taller than him and much stronger, but it still shocks the elder enough that his angry expression flickers into one of surprise for a split second.

“Taeyong,” He begins, but Taeyong chest is starting to feel tight. The longer he’s away from Johnny, the more uncomfortable he feels, and he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like feeling like this. He wishes Taeil would just move and let him go find Johnny.

“Please let me see him,” Taeyong mumbles. If he has to resort to begging, he will. “Please, don’t you want me to be happy?”

Taeil sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Taeyong, it’s more complicated than that.”

Sicheng shifts uncomfortably beside the couch. “Maybe we should just let him see him…”

“No,” Taeil says firmly. “He’s not mentally stable right now. Neither of them are. We have to wait at least twenty four hours for them to cool down before they meet. And we have to be there to make sure neither of them do anything stupid.”

Taeyong lets out whimper at just the thought of waiting twenty four hours to see Johnny again. Yuta snorts. “What do you think they’re gonna do, mate as soon as they see each other?”

Taeil gives him a dark look. Yuta’s face sombers up immediately.

Taeyong tries to convey the despair he’s feeling on his face, giving Taeil the saddest look he can muster. His stomach twists into knots of anxiety the more he thinks about not seeing Johnny as soon as possible. He feels like crying.

“Don’t give me that look, baby boy,” Taeil whispers, reaching out to run his fingers through Taeyong’s hair. Taeyong jerks away, just the sound of the familiar nickname making him even angrier. He kicks off his shoes in response, storming away to his bedroom and slamming the door as loudly as he can behind him.

 

**sicheng** : _how is he doing? :(_

**yuta** : _hes been crying literally all night_

**doyoung** : _seriously, i dont know how hes not tired yet_

**yuta** : _it sounds like a dying puppy its depressing me_

**sicheng** : _just let him see johnny, hyung ;;_

**taeil** : _I told you, he needs to wait 24 hours..._

**yuta** : _i dont know if hes gonna make it that long_

**yuta** : _he straight up sounds like hes in pain_

Taeyong sniffles pathetically in his bed, reading the texts as they appear on his lockscreen without ever actually opening them. He knows he’s being loud, and he knows it’s been hours since he started crying, but he really can’t stop. His heart feels like it’s physically trying to break out of his chest, skipping a beat painfully everytime he remembers he still has a full day to go until he sees Johnny again.

**doyoung** : _taeyong i know you’re reading this, you’ll see johnny soon :(_

**sicheng** : _yeah, hyung is just doing this bc he cares ;;_

**yuta** : _doesn’t seem like it but okay_

**taeil** : _…_

On the other side of the wall, Taeyong can hear Doyoung slap Yuta loudly, and Yuta shout in pain in response. He glares at his phone screen, turning his phone off completely and burrowing under his comforter as much as he can, hiding his face in his pillow. He falls asleep with stinging eyes and a twist in his gut, head filled with thoughts of one tall, handsome alpha.

 

When Taeyong wakes up, it’s to the sound of voices in the living room through his door. It takes him a few minutes to fully wake up, still drifting between sleep and reality, but he can hear the hushed whispers and what sounds like people arguing outside, someone pacing restlessly across the floor. He rubs at his eyes, face feeling swollen from all the crying. It’s got to be early morning, and when he turns on his phone to check the time, it’s almost five am.

His chest is still tight and uncomfortable, and even tucked under his comforter like a fort he has Johnny’s scent lingering in his nose. He waits for the texts to come rolling in as his phone turns on, yawning sleepily. A plethora of messages come in all at once, mostly his friends worrying over him some more, but he pauses when he sees Johnny’s name.

**taeil** : _I talked to Mark and he’s going to bring Johnny over._

**doyoung** : _is that a good idea?_

**taeil** : _Yes, he’s going to bring another alpha as well just in case._

**taeil** : _I’m coming over too, and you two need to stay there as well._

**taeil** : _We need to have as many people supervising as possible, and it’d be best if it wasn’t all alpha’s so Johnny doesn’t feel threatened._

**sicheng** : _hyung should i come too?_

**taeil** : _I’ll pick you up on my way over. Is Taeyong still asleep?_

**yuta** : _yeah i just checked on him he’s knocked out_

Taeyong scrolls faster through the messages, heartbeat picking up it’s pace. The time stamp on them reads about an hour ago.

He kicks his comforter off with his legs as fast as he can, almost tumbling out of bed in the process. The fresh air hits him, but what really feels like a punch in the gut is the overwhelming scent of _Johnny,_ too strong to just be his imagination. The alpha was here.

He scrambles off his bed to his feet, and outside the door, he hears the talking stop as soon as he stands up. He throws open the door dramatically, hair sticking up everywhere and face still red and puffy from the night before.

Johnny is standing just a few feet away, staring at him with the same look he had given Taeyong the day before when the omega had begged him not to go- soft, gentle and tender.

There’s more people in the living room as well, but Taeyong barely even notices them. He nearly trips striding towards the alpha, throwing himself dramatically into Johnny’s arms.

Like a dam bursting, he starts crying again, hysterical. The tightness in his chest disappears almost immediately when Johnny wraps his arms around Taeyong, pulling him close and sighing into his hair. Enveloped by his scent, Taeyong has never felt so overwhelmingly safe and secure. Vaguely, he can hear Johnny shushing him in an attempt to calm him down, but it just makes him cry harder, clinging to the alpha for dear life.

Someone coughs awkwardly, and Taeyong hears Yuta say something along the lines of, “Should we, like, leave?”

Johnny pulls back just enough to hold Taeyong’s face in his hands, thumbing at the tears on Taeyong’s cheeks gently. This close, Taeyong can see the little smile the other seems to be having trouble hiding and the full blown adoration in his eyes.

“Don’t cry, Taeyong,” Johnny murmurs. His voice is just as deep as before, but this time Taeyong can feel it, rumbling in the other’s chest and sliding through him like honey. He gives a full body shiver, hoping the alpha would say his name again. He sniffles a little pathetically.

“Sit down,” Someone finally says, and it’s definitely Taeil’s voice, but Taeyong can’t really be bothered to see where he’s sitting when Johnny was right in front of him.

Johnny has to tug him a little to get him to sit down beside him on the loveseat, but he keeps him as close as possible. Taeyong is still staring at him, probably with a stupefied expression and red, tear stained cheeks. The way Johnny precisely tucks Taeyong against his side and keeps a hand around his waist has butterflies trying to escape from the omega’s tummy.

Johnny smiles at him warmly, and only when someone clears their throat does Taeyong finally tear his eyes away from the alpha’s face to read the room. Yuta, Doyoung and Taeil sit on the couch opposite them, with Sicheng perched on the arm, and to the left two boys Taeyong has never met sit, although he recognizes them as the two alpha’s who had helped pull Johnny away on the quad.

They all stare at Taeyong like he’s an animal on display, curiosity mixed with a cautious, almost weary look, except Taeil, who just looks like a stern father. Taeyong blinks at them, confused.

“How are you feeling, Taeyong?” Doyoung finally asks carefully.

Taeyong tightens his hold on Johnny’s sleeve unconsciously, shifting closer. “Fine.”

“Are you sure?” One of the other alpha’s pipes up. “Nothing… off? No weird urges?”

Taeyong gives him a pointed look. “I’m not gonna climb on his dick right in front of all of you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Johnny throws his head back and laughs, boisterous and addictive to Taeyongs ears. Yuta makes a noise that sounds like he’s choked on his own spit, and the alpha sputters in response, red-faced and embarrassed.

“Taeyong,” Taeil says sharply, but even he looks a little surprised. Taeyong pouts at him, sinking back into the cushions.

“How ‘bout you, Johnny?” The other alpha asks. He looks slightly older than the the first one, much calmer and understanding of the situation. “How do you feel?”

“Kind of uncomfortable because you’re all watching us like you’re at a zoo,” Johnny replies, shrugging. “But other than that, really good.” He tilts his head to wink at Taeyong, and Taeyong can’t help but beam, something warm and fuzzy exploding in his chest. Vaguely, he hears someone (probably Yuta) make a over-exaggerated gagging noise.

Taeil shifts on the couch across from them, lips twisted into an almost sour expression. “There’s usually a twenty four hour waiting period after the introduction phase that alpha’s and omega’s need to-” He begins, mechanically, but Johnny cuts him off.

“Yeah, I know,” Johnny says, lips pressing into a thin line. If Taeyong didn’t know any better, he’d think the two alpha’s were glaring each other down. “ _You_ do know that that was disproven like two years ago through research because it actually harmed more than helped the omega’s, right?”

Taeil flushes slightly, eyes narrowing. “Don’t make things up.”

“Nah, that’s true,” The younger alpha chimes in. “It was something like keeping them apart for more than 7 hours after meeting could fuck with an omega’s hormonal workings and they’d either end up depressed or cutting themselves off from everyone to the point of isolation.”

Taeyong throws a glare at Taeil. Taeil bites the inside of his cheek, purposefully avoiding the younger’s gaze and instead frowning at Johnny with a disapproving look.

“Well, they’re together now, so it doesn’t even matter,” The older alpha says. He turns his gaze on Taeyong, and even though he isn’t doing or saying anything remotely threatening, Taeyong automatically sinks further into Johnny’s side, stomach curling uncomfortably. He doesn’t want any other alpha looking at him until he knows he smells 100% like Johnny.

“I’m Jaehyun,” The older alpha begins. He gestures to the younger one. “This is Mark. We’re in the same frat as Johnny.”

“Your house is the one off of third, right?” Yuta chimes in. “The one that gets trashed every Friday night?”

Taeil’s head snaps around from grumpily eyeing Johnny and Taeyong to glare at Yuta, looking like a disapproving mom.

Jaehyun laughs. “It does get pretty trashed.”

“Yeah, this one time I went with my friend Seulgi and I’m pretty sure someone threw up off the roof,” Yuta says.

“Fell,” Johnny corrects. “Fell off the roof. That was me.”

Taeyong stares at him, eyes wide. “You fell off a roof?”

Johnny grins. “Yeah, I was trashed.

“He told me science was a bitch and a liar and gravity was a social concept,” Mark pipes up.

Taeil clicks his tongue, folding his arms across his chest. “Well, that’s not very smart.”

Johnny’s smile disappears, and he sucks his teeth in response. “You caught me. My plan this whole time was to get Taeyong so fucked up he, too, jumps off a roof. I needed a partner in crime.”

Everyone except Taeil and Taeyong laughs. Taeyong tries to laugh, but all he can think about is if Johnny really wanted him to, he would jump off a roof for him in a heartbeat.

Johnny is eventually herded out of the apartment by Jaehyun and Mark after what feels like too little time, but is probably upwards of hours. Johnny presses kisses to Taeyong’s forehead and cheeks with promises they’ll see each other tomorrow. Taeyong rubs himself against Johnny like a cat, trying as much as he can to get the alpha’s scent on his own skin. Johnny doesn’t seem to mind it, but Taeil ends up shoving him out the door, looking red-faced and embarrassed.


	2. Chapter 2

It starts when Taeyong walks into his math class on Thursday. He knows he smells like Johnny, mostly because he had stopped rubbing himself all over Taeil this morning so Johnny's scent was the only one that clung to him, but he doesn't notice just how potent it is until he steps into the classroom and every single alpha's head snaps to attention.

Taeyong almost trips, surprised at all the alpha's eyes on him. The other's in the room are not paying attention, although a few omega's are looking around curiously, just as confused as to why the alpha's were suddenly on edge.

Taeyong slides into his seat, skin prickling with the feeling of being watched. Beside him, Junmyeon is staring at him blankly, frozen in place.

Finally, Taeyong can't take it, and he whips around to glare at Junmyeon, who was closest. "What?" He demands.

Junmyeon blinks, like he's coming out of a trance, and frowns. "Huh?"

"What are you staring at?" Taeyong snaps. His gaze flits over to Taemin and Jongin, who are hanging over their desks and openly leering at him. He glares at them, too, and Jongin just smirks, looking amused.

“Did you, um,” Junmyeon clears his throat, looking like he physically can’t tear his gaze away from the omega. “Do you have a… new alpha?”

Taeyong feels the tips of his ears turn red. “Why?”

Junmyeon shifts uncomfortably in his seat, eyes flickering around the room in a gesture that would be nervous if he weren’t an alpha. “You… you… smell.”

Taeyong makes a face, and Junmyeon quickly covers his tracks.

“Not bad!” The elder adds hastily. “It’s more like… uh- a new scent? You don’t smell like Taeil anymore.”

Taeyong is only a little surprised Junmyeon knows Taeil by name, but he brushes it off when something pleasantly warm blooms in his chest at the realization Johnny’s scent was sticking to him as boldly as he had hoped it would. But then he registers something.

“Taeil isn’t my alpha…” Taeyong says, slowly. Junmyeon’s brows raise in surprise. “He’s just a friend.”

“Really?” Junmyeon’s voice takes on a more casual tone, not as reserved as before, as though the revelation of this had shocked him into forgetting to be so uptight. “We thought… well, either way, congratulations.”

“Who’s we?”

Junmyeon hums in response, still lost in thought, before suddenly snapping back to reality and turning bright red.

“I-I-I-I-” He stutters hopelessly, looking around the room as though searching for something to distract Taeyong. Lucky for the elder, their professor strolls in then, and Taeyong doesn’t have time to ask anymore questions.

 

“You smell weird,” Is the first thing Yuta says when Taeyong slides into their usual booth at the coffee shop. Sicheng nods in agreement, leaning over the table slightly to sniff Taeyong’s jacket. Taeil just presses his lips together into a thin line and says nothing.

“Gee, thanks,” Taeyong replies dully.

“I can’t smell shit,” Doyoung announces.

Taeyong accepts the green tea Taeil hands him thankfully, beaming at him. “Thanks, hyung.”

Taeil nods, facial features softening at Taeyong’s smile. “How was your day, baby boy?”

Taeyong takes a sip of his tea, sinking back into the leather booth. “It was okay. People kept looking at me weird.”

“Cause you smell,” Yuta supplies in what he thinks is a helpful tone. Doyoung kicks him in the shin under the table, and Yuta glares at him. “What?! He does!”

Taeyong pouts. “I think I smell good…”

“Yeah, because Johnny’s your mate,” Sicheng adds. “But to everyone else, you just smell distinctly of a big strong alpha. It’s like you have a big red sticker on your forehead that says, ‘taken’.”

Taeil makes a clicking noise with his tongue, frowning. “They’re not mates yet. Don’t say things like that, Sicheng.”

“Speaking of big strong alpha,” Doyoung gives Taeyong a pointed look. “Have you seen Johnny today?”

Taeyong shakes his head. “No, but he called me earlier. He asked me if I wanted to go to a party at their house tonight.”

Yuta’s head snaps to attention like someone had just offered to pay his tuition. “A party? At their house? Oh, fuck yes.”

Taeil looks at Taeyong warily, and Taeyong knows exactly what he’s going to say, so he cuts him off before he can finish.

“It’ll be fun, hyung,” He promises. In the back of his mind, he wonders why he’s even trying to convince Taeil on this. Maybe he wanted Taeil to like Johnny as much as he did? “Plus, he said you guys could come, too.”

Yuta slaps his hand on the table and holds out his hand. “Let me see the texts.”

Taeyong shyly forks over his phone, unlocking it and handing it to the younger. Sicheng and Doyoung crane their necks to read the texts as well, and even Taeil peers over, trying desperately not to look curious.

**johnny** : _hi it’s me_

**taeyong** : _hi!_

**johnny** : _i miss you already_

**johnny** : _get some sleep okay?_

**johnny** : _don’t cry over me anymore lol_

**taeyong** : _shut up :-(_

Yuta makes an over-exaggerated gagging noise. Taeyong blushes furiously, moving to snatch his phone back, but Sicheng comes to his rescue instead.

“I’m sure Taeyong has had to listen to you two fuck on the other side of his wall god knows how many times,” Sicheng snarks. Doyoung gives him an offended look, and Taeyong takes the opportunity to grab his phone and swipe further down the conversation.

“Those are from last night, anyway,” He grumbles, handing it back to Sicheng.

**johnny** : _just walked into a wall while we were on the phone im a dumbass_

**johnny** : _also are you free tonight?_

**taeyong** : _be careful please!_

**taeyong** : _yes, of course i am_

**johnny** : _we’re having a party at my place. come?_

**taeyong** : _i’ve never been to a party_

**johnny** : _aw baby_

**johnny** : _don’t worry it’ll be fun_

**johnny** : _i’ll be with you_

**johnny** : _your friends can come too. even the stuffy one who doesn’t like me lol_

All three of them look up pointedly at Taeil, who is still reading the last text with a grumpy expression. Taeyong tries not to laugh into his hand.

“That’s you,” Yuta says matter-of-factly. “You’re the stuffy one.”

Taeil glares at him and sinks into his seat, grumbling to himself. Doyoung and Sicheng laugh stupidly, and they all return to scrolling through Taeyong’s texts.

Taeyong takes the moment their attention is distracted to lean against Taeil’s side, resting his cheek on the elder’s shoulder and locking their arms together.

“You’ll come, right, hyung?” Taeyong asks, doing his best to bat his lashes cutely at the alpha. Taeil’s face melts into a smile, and he nods. He leans forward a little to press his nose against the top of Taeyong’s head, and Taeyong lets him, for a moment.

 

Taeyong was telling the truth when he said he’d never been to a party before. A real, college party, with an apartment or house packed to the brim with strangers and not just Sicheng and Yuta getting shitfaced in their living room while a tipsy Doyoung feeds both of them by hand and Taeil looks on like an exasperated single mother. And even those times, Taeyong never drank. He was just on water duty, and sometimes helped Taeil carry Yuta to his bed if he was too drunk to stand.

But tonight was different. When they pull up to the house, they’re greeted with pulsing music, bass vibrating from inside. People pour out the doors and even the windows, lingering on the lawn. There’s a few people sitting on the roof, and Taeyong giggles to himself thinking of Johnny’s comment about jumping off the roof once. Adrenaline races through his veins, and he looks excitedly at Taeil much like a child would.

Taeil smiles warily at him; it had taken a lot of convincing to actually get the elder into the car when all was said and done, and Doyoung had had to paint horrific scenarios of Taeyong getting drunk alone and passing out in the streets to finally get Taeil to join them.

Yuta looks like he’s in his element, waving enthusiastically to quite a few people as they approach the front door. It’s propped open with a keg, and as Taeyong passes through, a few people on the porch and inside shoot him surprised looks.

It only continues as they follow Yuta through the house. He definitely isn’t imagining it, because people keep glancing at him like he’s a shiny new toy, surprise and curiosity evident in their eyes. Out of reflex, he hides himself slightly behind Taeil, clinging to his shirt nervously.

Yuta had apparently had a destination in mind, because they end up in the overly large kitchen, where most of the alcohol is. The island in the kitchen was set up as a bar, and behind it was an alpha who couldn’t have been much older than Taeyong, with short, neon pink hair and sharp eyes. He’s got on a fishnet top and shorts that were so tight Taeyong wondered how he got them on. When the alpha looks up, he looks bored and slightly annoyed, but when he spots Yuta, he flashes him a smile.

“Hello, sweet thing,” The alpha purrs. He winks at Doyoung as well, and does a double take when he spots Taeyong. He looks him up and down, and Taeyong feels uncomfortably scrutinized.

“Oh,” The alpha says. “You’re Johnny’s boy. Taeyong, right?”

Taeyong nods, still hiding halfway behind Taeil. It doesn’t go unnoticed by the alpha, who gives Taeil a keen look. “And you are?”

Taeil clears his throat. “I’m a friend of Taeyong’s. Who are you?”

The alpha grins. To his left, a drunk boy (another alpha, Taeyong thinks) sidles up to him, reaching cautiously for one of the alcohol bottles. The alpha whips his head around to glare and slaps the intruder’s hand loudly, snapping, “Fuck off, Yukhei.”

The boy, Yukhei, looks at him sheepishly, cheeks red and eyes bloodshot from drinking, and slinks back off into the crowd.

The alpha turns back to them, face smoothly sliding into a smile again, and says, “I’m Ten.”

There’s a crash from somewhere in the crowd, and a few people shouting. Taeyong snaps to attention when he catches a whiff of Johnny, moving away from Taeil and searching the room for Johnny.

“Look at him,” Ten coos, in what sounds like a fond voice. “He’s like a lost puppy looking for his master.”

Taeil starts to protest, but Taeyong doesn’t hear what he says because a group of people part and Johnny’s there, throwing his head back and laughing at something, red cup in hand. He’s wearing a soft looking grey sweater and jeans, and Taeyong’s heart leaps into his throat the moment he sees him, senses overwhelmed with his scent.

His feet move without him realizing it, pushing past people to get through to the alpha. Johnny notices him when he’s about halfway through, nose twitching as he finally picks up the omega’s scent. His eyes light up, and he grins, reaching out for Taeyong.

“Baby!” Johnny shouts, pulling Taeyong into a bone-crushing hug. Taeyong’s heart feels light and airy again, and he sighs happily, pressing his face into Johnny’s neck, inhaling deeply. He hadn’t realized how heavy his chest had been all day until now.

“This is him!” He hears Johnny saying to someone over his shoulder. “Yeah! Isn’t he the cutest?”

Taeyong’s cheeks flush. He pulls back slightly to look up at Johnny, and he can’t help the smile that stretches across his face.

“Hi,” He mumbles, suddenly feeling self-conscious and aware there were quite a few people staring at him now.

Johnny beams at him. “I’m so glad you’re here. I missed you so much.”

Taeyong feel his face burn, his stomach churning with butterflies. He forgoes an answer and instead shoves his face against Johnny’s chest, hiding his red cheeks.

Johnny laughs, saying a goodbye to the people nearby and leading Taeyong back to the bar. Yuta is downing shots that Ten has prepared for him like they’re water, Sicheng not far behind. Taeil is worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, watching the two omega’s with a pinched expression as they drink, and Doyoung is nowhere to be seen.

The alpha looks up as Johnny and Taeyong approach again, and his eyes narrow ever so slightly, meeting Johnny’s gaze.

“Hey,” Johnny greets him smoothly, arm thrown around Taeyong’s waist tightening just the tiniest amount.

“Hello,” Taeil replies, looking very bothered. He shifts his gaze to Taeyong. “Tae, do you want me to get you a ginger ale?”

Taeyong shakes his head, eyeing Ten, who was pouring a concoction of drinks that ended up being an electric green color. “I want to drink tonight.”

Yuta looks up from where he’s throwing back a shot of the green liquid. “Oh, fuck yeah! Drunk Taeyong is finally coming out!”

Taeil throws an annoyed look at the omega, turning his eyes back warily to Taeyong. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, baby b-”

Johnny cuts him off, lips pressed together and brow furrowed. “What are you, his father? He can drink if he wants to.” Taeyong nods excitedly. Johnny smiles warmly at him. “Plus, I’m here. I’m not gonna let him do anything stupid.”

“Taeyong’s never drank before,” Taeil argues, hands curling into fists at his sides. His eyes flash with something angry that Taeyong has only ever seen a few times. “I really don’t think it’d be a good idea for him to drink here, at this type of party-”

“Fun sucker!” Yuta shrieks suddenly. Sicheng boo’s at Taeil, waving his cup at him like a disapproving finger wag. “Let Taeyong have some fun!”

Taeyong doesn’t hear Taeil’s reply, because Ten is pushing a red cup full of green liquid into his hands, and Johnny is steering him away from the bar and back into the crowd.

 

The night passes in what feels like a blur. Taeil had been right- Taeyong had never drank before- but right now he was wondering why he hadn’t.

Everything feels like it’s spinning in a very enjoyable way. Lights flash and people pass a little too close to him, but he doesn’t really mind. Johnny had been parading him around all night, proudly introducing him to dozens of alphas to the point Taeyong couldn’t remember all of their names. He just stood tucked into Johnny’s side, face flushed and head slowly getting more and more hazey.

At the moment, he wasn’t quite sure where he was. He had wandered off from Johnny’s side about half an hour ago in search of the bathroom, or maybe even Sicheng, just to make sure the younger was alive and okay. He hadn’t found either, and instead he finds himself on the third floor of the house, where it’s less crowded, and there were only a few solitary couples kissing up against the walls or slipping into bedrooms and locking the doors behind them, giggling to each other.

Taeyong finds what he thinks is a bathroom, but the door is jammed. He has to push all his body weight against it, and when it finally swings open he almost tumbles to the floor, catching himself on the doorframe just fast enough.

It is indeed a bathroom, but it’s occupied- sitting on the counter is none other than Ten, scrolling idley through his phone with a bored expression as another alpha stands between his legs and kisses along the expanse of his neck. Taeyong recognizes the other alpha as Yukhei, the one he had seen earlier.

Ten looks up when Taeyong trips inside, and he flashes the elder a dazzling smile. Yukhei is far too invested in sucking dark hickeys against Ten’s pale throat to even notice Taeyong’s entrance.

“Having fun, sweetheart?” Ten practically purrs, all saccharine sweetness. Something in Taeyong’s chest lurches at the sight, at the sudden onslaught of two different alpha’s scents hitting him in one go. He shivers, squeezing his eyes shut and using the doorframe as support.

With a loud, wet popping noise, Yukhei unlatches his mouth from Ten’s neck, wiping at his lips with the back of his hand and shooting Taeyong a dark look. “Whose is this? Johnny’s?”

Ten clicks his tongue, his free hand curling into Yukhei’s hair and tugging hard, so the other alpha’s head is pulled back and his throat is exposed. Yukhei is very clearly much larger than Ten, from his height to his size, but the way Ten immediately reigns control of the room has Taeyong reeling.

“He’s not Johnny’s fucktoy,” Ten snaps, tongue sharp. Yukhei lets out a heavy, guttural groan when Ten pulls his hair harder. “His name is Taeyong. Be nice and say hello to Taeyong.”

Taeyong watches the way Yukhei’s throat works when he swallows as he mutters, “Hello, Taeyong.”

“Good boy,” Ten coos. He lets go of Yukhei’s hair and slides his hand down his chest instead, pushing the bigger alpha away so he can hop off the counter and direct his attention entirely on Taeyong. “Are you okay, Taeyong? Are you lost?”

Taeyong tries to nod, eyes glued on Yukhei, who was glowering at him over Ten’s shoulder, gaze predatory and pupil’s blown out. Ten snaps his fingers in front of Taeyong to get his attention.

“Don’t let him scare you,” The younger says. He curls a hand gently around Taeyong’s waist, ushering him out of the bathroom. “He’s about as dangerous as a teddy bear. Between you and me,” Ten looks around dramatically despite there being almost no one in this particular hallway, and drops his voice to a stage whisper, “He totally cries after sex. And during, too.”

Taeyong can’t help but giggle. Ten winks at him, grinning, and leads him down the hall towards the stairs. Taeyong is eternally thankful, especially because Ten was being so nice to him. He really didn’t need to, seeing as he wasn’t Taeyong’s alpha, and they were practically strangers; maybe he just knew this was Taeyong’s first time drinking and pitied him.

Either way, Taeyong could throw his arms around Ten and plant a kiss on him when they finally surface on the main floor of the house and Taeyong spots Johnny in the living room, sitting on the couch between a few other alphas and betas Taeyong doesn’t recognize.  

He doesn’t kiss Ten, though, because he’s too ecstatic to see Johnny after what feels like years (even though it was, at most, forty-five minutes). He wiggles out of Ten’s hold to stumble over to Johnny, picking his way around people until he can finally drop himself directly in Johnny’s lap.

Johnny looks just as delighted to see him, face splitting into an infectious smile, big hands immediately settling on Taeyong’s hips to keep him close. Taeyong straddles his lap, letting himself go boneless and limp in the alpha’s arms.

“Hi,” Taeyong whispers into Johnny’s ear. Johnny laughs quietly, and the sound has Taeyong shivering, hiding his face in the alpha’s neck.

“Hi, baby,” Johnny says back. “I was wondering where you went.”

“I found Ten,” Taeyong announces. Now that he was sitting comfortably in Johnny’s arm, enveloped by the alpha’s scent, the alcohol still settling in his veins, he was starting to feel very sleepy. He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply.

“Yeah? Was he in the bathroom?” One of Johnny’s hands slides up the back of Taeyong’s shirt, rubbing warm, slow circles against his bare skin. Taeyong sighs happily.

“Yeah, bathroom,” Taeyong mumbles. “He was kissing an alpha.”

He thought he was being quiet, but the others around them must’ve heard his words, because a few people titter with laughter. He hears Ten click his tongue again like he’d done in the bathroom, and Johnny’s chest rumbles beneath Taeyong’s own as he laughs.

“Who were you kissing this time, Ten?” Johnny asks.

“Yukhei,” Taeyong whispers loudly, giggling into his own hand. The noise of the party and the music thumping sounds like white noise to Taeyong’s ears, and he can only hear the people around him if he strains his ears.

“Yukhei’s sensitive,” Johnny jokes. A few of the other alpha’s laugh.

“Yeah, so is his dick,” Ten replies, voice drifting as he presumably walks away. Someone else laughs, and Taeyong stops listening when they all start talking again.

He lets himself get lost in the feeling of Johnny’s hand against his skin, warm and calloused, of the alpha’s chest and his voice vibrating beneath him, similar to the bass of the music pounding through the walls. No matter how much Taeyong inhales, he can’t get enough of Johnny’s scent. He feels so warm, so comfortable, so safe.

He must drift off a little, because when he tunes into the party again, the music is lower, the beat of the song slower, and there aren’t nearly as many voice as before. The party must be dying down, and Taeyong thinks to himself he likes this more than the overcrowded, packed house. This felt more familiar, more intimate, even though there were probably still more people in the house than he had ever met in his entire university career.

“It’s nice,” Someone is saying. “He’s really cute.”

“Yeah,” Another person adds. “You got lucky.”

Johnny hums in agreement. It takes Taeyong a few seconds to realize they’re talking about him, and another second to realize Johnny is still rubbing circles against his back, arm wrapped around his waist protectively.

“Look how submissive he is,” Someone comments. “And he only met you a few days ago.”

Johnny does his best to shrug without adjusting Taeyong, but he does stop rubbing Taeyong’s back, instead wrapping both arms around him and tightening his hold. Taeyong tries not to smile into Johnny’s neck, still pretending to be asleep.

“Have you fucked yet?” A girl asks, and a few people snort, someone else making a whistling noise. Johnny’s body tenses up, and Taeyong can feel the way his jaw sets.

“Obviously not,” Johnny replies, voice terse.

“You better get on it,” Some other boy replies.

“Nah, he should wait for his heat,” Another one pipes in. “Then it’ll be so much more satisfying.”

Johnny sucks on his teeth, and Taeyong can practically feel the glare he’s giving the other people. “Can you guys not be disgusting for once in your life?”

Taeyong would laugh, but his stomach is suddenly in knots. He had completely forgot about his heat, or sex with Johnny in general, if he were being honest. And now that he’s reminded of it, his mind is racing, and he has the comments Doyoung and Taeil had made about Johnny replaying in his head on loop. Johnny was a notorious player, he’d probably fucked half the omega’s on campus. He had even been hooking up with Sehun before Taeyong met him.

Taeyong hadn’t fucked anyone. He hadn’t even had his first kiss. What was Johnny going to say when the time came and he found out his omega was an inexperienced virgin?

Taeyong can sense the shift in the air, the way Johnny is suddenly pulling him away from his shoulder so he can look him in the eye.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Johnny asks, voice soft and low so the others won’t hear him.

Taeyong blinks sleep out of his eyes, dots in his vision from having his face pressed into the dark crook of Johnny’s neck for so long. He shakes his head, avoiding eye contact, and instead takes one of Johnny’s hands in his own, interlocking their fingers. If this was going to end badly like he thinks it will, he may as well enjoy it while he still can.


	3. Chapter 3

Taeyong wakes up on the exact same couch, nestled between the cushions and Johnny’s body, the alpha’s arms wrapped around him like a vice. It takes him a solid minute to figure out where he is, mostly because he’s surrounded by Johnny’s scent and had just woken up from a dream where he was in the exact same situation.

It hits him all at once, however, when his temple aches with a blooming headache and his stomach churns, signifying his very first hangover. Groaning, he sits up slowly, trying his best not to make his head spin. Johnny shifts beside him, eyelids fluttering in his sleep.

The living room is littered with red cups, and even more alphas laying in various places, knocked out and most of them snoring loudly. Taeyong counts each one, and feels anxiety twist in his chest when he sees there are almost twelve alphas in this room alone, and he was the only omega here.

The anxiety loosens, if only a little, when a familiar face rounds the corner- Ten, dressed in surprisingly normal looking pajama set, carrying a glass of orange juice and blinking sleepily.

The younger alpha picks his way through the room, stepping gracefully over the people on the floor. About halfway across the room, he finally looks up, locking eyes with Taeyong.

He stares at him in silence for a long minute, as though wondering who this omega was, but then Taeyong can see it click in the alpha’s head, and Ten smiles warmly at him.

“Good morning,” Ten coos. He continues picking his way across the room, coming to a halt when he reaches the armchair across from Taeyong, where an alpha was draped over it, face covered almost comically with a hoodie that was on backwards. Ten reaches down with his free hand and flips the hood back, revealing none other than Yukhei, the alpha he had been kissing the night before.

Subconsciously, Taeyong shrinks back, leaning slightly into Johnny more at the sight of Yukhei. He was just so… _large,_ it was intimidating. Not to mention the predatory look he had given Taeyong the night before, and, when he glances at Ten’s neck, the dark purple marks he had left on the other alpha.

Yukhei looks entirely different in the morning, however, face scrunching adorably and making a grumpy sort of noise when the light hits his eyes.

“Fuck off,” He grumbles, reaching blindly for the hoodie again. Ten laughs, leaning down so he can plant a kiss on Yukhei’s lips, smiling into it. Yukhei’s face smooths out at the kiss, and he reaches up to grab hold of Ten’s head, but Ten is quick to pull away.

“Drink this,” Ten commands, pushing the glass of orange juice into Yukhei’s hand.

“Yes, sir,” Yukhei replies, voice deep and raspy. He downs the glass of orange juice in one go, and sits up quickly. Taeyong tries not to look too jealous at how he shows no signs of looking hungover.

Yukhei’s head snaps towards Taeyong at that moment, like he could read his mind, but instead of looking annoyed, he just looks confused.

“Who this?” He asks, frowning.

Ten snorts, taking the empty glass from Yukhei and patting his shoulder. “Can you at least speak in full sentences?”

Yukhei’s eyes trail down to Johnny’s sleeping form, and the arm that’s wrapped protectively around Taeyong’s waist even in his sleep.

“Ah,” He says, as though he understands everything. “Taeyong, right?”

“You met him last night,” Ten supplies. “You probably scared the fuck out of him.”

Yukhei’s expression turns to one that’s genuinely apologetic, looking a little guilty. “Fuck, I’m sorry, dude. I get really obnoxious when I’m drunk.”

Taeyong has to swallow, throat dry, before mumbling back, “It’s okay.”

Ten brushes Yukhei’s hair out of his face lovingly, gently tucking the longer hairs behind the other alpha’s ears. Yukhei blinks sleepily and leans into the touch, rubbing at his eyes, and for a moment, Taeyong feels like he’s intruding on a private moment.

Ten turns to him, though, pulling his hand away from Yukhei to look at Taeyong. “Do you want something to eat, honey?”

Taeyong looks around the room, but he’s the only one awake other than the two alpha’s. “Me?” He asks, surprised.

Ten nods. “Yeah. I can make you french toast or something.”

Yukhei grabs hold of the end of Ten’s shirt, pouting at him. “Me too. I want french toast, too, hyung.”

Ten scoffs, pulling away from Yukhei’s grip and turning on his heels to head towards the kitchen. “Make them yourself.”

Yukhei grumbles to himself, untangling himself from the blanket on the couch to get to his feet and follow the other. Taeyong takes this as an invitation to go as well, and he very gently pulls himself out of Johnny’s hold to stand up. He takes a moment to appreciate Johnny’s sleeping face; the alpha looks serene and gentle in his sleep, hair mused and cheeks flushed from last night's drinking. Taeyong’s heart does a little jump, and he hides his smile, scurrying after the other to alphas for pancakes.

Yukhei turns out to be just as nice as Ten, if not nicer, asking Taeyong questions about what he was studying and what he liked to do. It was a refreshing difference from the alphas Taeyong can remember meeting last night, who only asked him questions about Johnny, or didn’t even address him directly, instead asking Johnny about him. Ten makes a stack of french toast a mile high, which Yukhei dives into with a starving look in his eyes like he’s never been fed his entire life.

As Ten hands him a fork with a kind smile and begins eating as well, Taeyong feels something warm bloom in his chest. He feels an almost surreal sense of comfort around the two alphas, despite having only met both of them not even twenty four hours earlier. It was nice, making new friends so quickly. He had only ever had his close group of friends for as long as he could remember; he had never been the best at branching out and talking to strangers.

There’s footsteps behind him, and a second later he’s being engulfed from behind in a back hug, Johnny’s scent alerting him of the alpha’s presence. Taeyong leans back into his arms, happily taking a bite out of the french toast.

“Yukhei, you eat like you’re feeding four people,” Johnny laughs against the top of Taeyong’s head, voice rough with sleep.

Yukhei looks up from his plate, cheeks full like a chipmunks, and shrugs, not even bothering to respond. Probably because it would take away time he could spend eating more.

Taeyong can’t help but laugh, covering his mouth. Ten flashes him a warm smile, and Johnny tightens his arms around him, and for a moment, the anxiety in Taeyong’s chest that had been settled there since last night is lifted.

 

**sicheng** _: do you think taeyong is alive_

**yuta** _: probably not_

**yuta** _: he drank himself to death_

**taeil** _: …_

**doyoung** _: relax hyung he’s with johnny_

**doyoung** _: he’s fine_

**taeil** _: That’s exactly why I’m worried._

**yuta** _: what do you think he’s gonna do day drink with johnny?_

**sicheng** _: maybe they’ll do it_

**doyoung** _: we are all adults in this chat, sicheng, just say fuck._

**taeil** _: ENOUGH._

**taeyong** _: i’m alive! and i’m okay. my head just hurts._

**yuta** _: BABY BOY_

**sicheng** _: YOU SURVIVED_

**doyoung** _: how does your first hangover feel big shot_

**taeyong** _: like death_

**yuta** _: ten really pumped you full of alcohol_

**taeil** _: I didn’t like him… he was a bad influence._

**sicheng** _: he was nice_

**yuta** _: he’s a cool guy don’t be so uptight hyung_

**taeyong** _: hes hooking up with another alpha_

**taeyong** _: yukhei? I think_

**taeyong** _: i walked in on them last night_

**doyoung** _: EXCUSE ME WHAT_

**sicheng** _: BITCH IM SCREAMING_

**yuta** _: DID HE HAVE A BIG DICK_

**_taeil has left the chat._ **

**yuta** : _weak._

 

Taeyong snorts at Yuta’s message, putting his phone on silent and locking it. Someone else will invite Taeil back to the chat, as per usual.

“What?” Johnny asks from beside him. They’re walking along the sidewalk back to Taeyong’s dorm. It’s warm outside, birds chirping in the trees above them and the sidewalk littered with cherry blossoms that had fallen early. Johnny’s hand is warm in his own, solid and comforting.

“Nothing,” Taeyong replies. “My friends are being dumb.”

Johnny gives him a sidelong glance, grinning. “They’re funny. Yuta is wild.”

Taeyong can’t help but laugh. “I know. He and Sicheng are really funny.”

“Yeah,” Johnny agrees. He’s silent for awhile, Taeyong just enjoying the cool breeze and the the nice weather, before Johnny speaks up again. “Your friend Taeil doesn’t like me, does he?”

Taeyong thoughts skirt to a stop at the question. He doesn’t really see the point in lying to Johnny, so he looks down at the ground, voice quiet as he mumbles, “Yeah.”

Johnny squeezes his hand, and when Taeyong looks up the alpha is giving him a soft smile. “I don’t really care. I just know it must upset you that he and I aren’t friendly.”

Taeyong tries to shrug nonchalantly, but it just makes him look more uncomfortable. “I dunno. Taeil acts like he’s my dad. I don’t think it’s anything personal against you.”

“How long have you known him?”

“A long time. Since we were kids. Before either of us presented,” Taeyong thinks back to being fourteen years old, when Taeil had presented as an alpha. They had been outside Taeyong’s house, on his front lawn playing soccer with Yuta, when Taeil had suddenly snapped at Yuta. He snarled at him that he was cheating, and launched himself at Yuta with all the animalistic ferocity of a wolf taking down its prey.

Needless to say, Taeil was out of school for the rest of the week, and when he came back, he smelled different, carried himself a different way. He never really acted the same after that, but it’s hard for Taeyong to remember what he was like before he presented. He just knew he was different.

Johnny nods, startling Taeyong out of his thoughts when he speaks. “I’ve known Ten since before we both presented. He presented as an alpha the day after I did,” He laughs, like he’s enjoying a personal joke. “He’s smaller than me, but he’s way stronger than he looks. He charged at me in the middle of the hallway at school and took me down like I weighed nothing. He probably would’ve clawed each my eyes out if some teachers didn’t pull us apart.”

For some reason, Taeyong isn’t surprised. Probably because of how Ten had acted last night, reigning control of Yukhei in seconds with just a hand in his hair. It wasn’t hard for Taeyong to imagine Ten barrelling down pre-teen Johnny like he was a bowling pin.

“I’ve never met an alpha who was dating another alpha,” Taeyong says out loud.

Johnny shrugs. “It’s pretty common, actually. Not everyone can be as lucky as us,” He winks at Taeyong, and Taeyong can feel his cheeks flushing bright pink.

Taeyong almost trips over his own two feel when Johnny comes to a stop, only realizing at the last second that they had arrived at his dorm. Johnny catches him smoothly with a hand on his waist, something that makes Taeyong nervous for a reason he couldn’t quite place.

When he straightens up, Johnny’s face is very, very close to his own. Taeyong’s breath catches in his throat, and before he can stop himself, his eyes flicker down to Johnny’s lips. They look warm and inviting, and Taeyong’s stomach does a flip when he looks back up and Johnny’s eyes are dark and watching him intently.

They’re stuck like that for a minute, Johnny’s arm around his waist keeping him close. Taeyong resists the sudden urge he has to turn and flee, trying to squash the panic in his chest. Nothing was happening. Johnny wasn’t expecting anything of him, he was just holding him close. Just because he was a virgin doesn’t mean-

“Can I kiss you?” Johnny whispers, snapping Taeyong out of his own self-deprecating thoughts.

Taeyong gapes at him like a fish out of water, mind blanking for a split second. It whirs back to life a second later with thoughts like, _Oh, my God, he’ll be able to tell I’ve never kissed anyone before_ and _Fuck, he’s going to hate me_ and _I don’t even know where to turn my head._ But instead of saying anything (mostly because he can’t trust his own voice), he nods, letting his eyelids flutter close.

Johnny shifts a little, and Taeyong can feel him getting closer, can feel him exhale gently. A second later and Johnny is pressing their lips together, softly, sweetly. Taeyong’s heart picks up tenfold, that familiar anxiety racing through his veins, heading straight for his chest, where knows it’ll clump together in a ball of nervous energy that’ll sit there for days on end.

But Johnny doesn’t let it get far. His free hand slides up Taeyong’s throat, carefully cupping Taeyong’s jaw so he can angle his head, tilt it back more so he has control over the kiss. Taeyong is extremely thankful, because, honestly, he had no idea what he was doing. Johnny clearly does, however, and he the way he kisses at this angle leaves Taeyong breathless. The anxiety vanishes from Taeyong’s body, all his attention focused solely on Johnny and the way his mouth made Taeyong feel like his brain was turning to mush.

Without thinking, Taeyong reaches up, fisting Johnny’s shirt in his hands so he could pull him against him. He lets out the tiniest noise, just short of a whimper, opening his mouth and going slack in Johnny’s hold.

Johnny’s chest rumbles with the beginnings of a growl, and in a second he’s forcibly removing himself from Taeyong, holding the omega back at arms length and gasping lungfuls of air.

Taeyong must look a little hurt, because Johnny pulls him back against his chest into a bone crushing hug, burying his face in Taeyong’s hair and taking deep breaths.

“Sorry, I just-” Johnny’s voice is deep and breathless, and Taeyong shivers against his chest, wrapping his arms around the alpha as well. “Just gimme a minute.”

“Too much?” Taeyong mumbles, voice quiet and muffled, but Johnny hears it and nods. Taeyong’s heart squeezes up in his chest. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Johnny pulls away enough to look him in the eye, still holding Taeyong’s shoulders firmly. “It’s my fault, I just got… overwhelmed,” He laughs bleakly, running a hand through his hair nervously. “Fuck. You really get to me.”

Taeyong’s heart skips a beat, and he has to swallow a lump in his throat that forms from Johnny’s words.

Eventually, Johnny leaves, only after pressing the most gentlest of kisses to Taeyong’s forehead, leaving the omega breathless and flushed. Taeyong dials Yuta’s number on the elevator up to their dorm, pressing his palms to his warm cheeks, heart pattering against his ribcage.

“What’s popping?” Yuta picks up just as the elevator dings on their floor.

Taeyong can’t hold the excitement in his voice as he hurries down the hall, managing to get out, “Johnny kissed me!”

“What?!” From outside their dorm room door, Taeyong can hear Yuta’s voice through the walls, not just through the speaker of his phone. Taeyong throws open the door to find Yuta standing in the kitchen in just his boxers, spatula in hand, phone tucked between his shoulder and cheek.

“He kissed you!” Yuta shrieks, whipping around to look at Taeyong.

“He kissed me!” Taeyong parrots, hanging up and flinging his phone in the vague direction of the sofa.

“Your first kiss!” Yuta seems absolutely delighted, letting his phone and spatula clatter to the floor and running towards Taeyong with all the excitement of a child. He throws his arms around Taeyong and picks him up in a suffocating hug, spinning him around. Taeyong laughs at the sheer absurdity of the situation. “How was it?! Did he use tongue?! Did you kiss him back?!”

“Of course I did,” Taeyong beams, heart light and airy. Yuta puts him down with a huff, face almost as flushed as Taeyong’s and grinning from ear to ear.

“I need details, right now,” Yuta demands, bending over to pick up the spatula. Taeyong suddenly feels a rush of affection for the other omega, appreciation for his friend overtaking him. “Who initiated it? Where did he touch you? What did you-”

He’s cut off when Taeyong suddenly throws his arms around the younger from behind, pulling him close and pressing his face into the crook of his neck. Yuta makes a noise of surprise.

“Thank you,” Taeyong whispers. “Thanks for being excited for me.”

Yuta raises a brow, slightly amused. “Why wouldn’t I be? This is a big step for you.”

Taeyong sighs, trying to hold onto Yuta as the other squirms to get out of his grip. “You like Johnny, right?”

Yuta stills, and Taeyong’s heart drops for a moment. But then Yuta is grasping Taeyong’s wrists and pulling himself away so he can turn around and look the other in the eye.

“Of course I like Johnny,” Yuta says. His face is serious, and he pauses for a minute to collect his thoughts, trying to meet Taeyong’s gaze when the omega looks down at the floor. “Oh, honey. Is this because Taeil doesn’t like him?”

Taeyong shrugs, pressing his lips together in a thin line. Yuta makes a noise in the back of his throat, somewhere between upset and sympathetic. He reaches out to smooth down Taeyong’s hair, a gesture that has the elder purring and leaning into the touch.

“Taeil just… needs time,” Yuta explains, choosing his words carefully. “It might take awhile. He’s just protective,” Yuta’s lips quirk into a smile, and he chucks Taeyong under his chin lightly. “You’re his baby boy, you know?”

 

**sicheng** _: i heard taeyong had his first kiss yesterday_

**doyoung** _: taeyong… you lil slut_

**doyoung** _: running round kissing boys on street corners_

**yuta** _: taeyong the hoe_

**sicheng** _: doyoung one time i stopped by to drop a book off for taeyong and i could literally hear you begging yuta to choke you harder through the walls_

**doyoung** _: FUCK YOU SICHENG YOU WET LITTLE BITCH_

**doyoung has left the chat.**

**yuta** _: i remember that_

**taeil** _: Please stop this._

**yuta has invited doyoung to the chat.**

**taeyong** _: yuta did you tell sicheng first thing this morning :(_

**taeyong** _: i wanted to tell them_

**yuta** _: im sorry i got excited_

**yuta** _: you popped your cherry and i lost my shit_

**taeil** _: ?!?!?!_

**yuta** _: not his real cherry hyung_

**sicheng** _: just his lip cherry_

**yuta** _: i kissed a boy and i liked it_

**yuta** _: the taste of his cherry…. Popping_

**doyoung has joined the chat.**

**sicheng** _: doyoung are you still mad that i outed you for being into choking_

**doyoung** _: fuck you pussy boy._

**taeil** _: language!_

**taeyong** _: hyung, you’re still meeting me after math right?_

**taeil** _: Of course, baby boy. I’ll see you then._

It takes Taeyong exactly thirty minutes into class to realize Junmyeon is no longer sitting beside him. Today he’s sitting further in the back, closer to Jongin and Taemin’s seats. Taeyong glances back at him with a confused expression, wondering why he moved. Junmyeon isn’t looking at him, of course, but Jongin and Taemin are. Neither of them are smiling, faces serious and dark, and Taeyong suppresses a shiver, avoiding eye contact with both of them and turning back around.

During a lull in class, Sehun spins around to face him, slumped down in his seat. He gives Taeyong a once over, lips pursed, before he asks, “So, are you, like, fucking Johnny now?”

Taeyong has to process his words for a moment, thrown off completely by the question. “Huh?” Is all he manages to get out, voice quiet.

Sehun rolls his eyes, gesturing towards Taeyong in general. “I mean, you reek of him. I’m assuming you guys are fucking.”

“I’m not-” Taeyong starts to say, voice lost in his throat. He can’t find the right words to formulate his thoughts, which were just as jumbled as his vocabulary at the moment. “It’s not like that-”

“Yeah, okay,” Sehun snorts, already starting to turn around in his chair. He leans his head backwards at an awkward angle to add on, “Just so you know, he really likes choking.”

Sehun snaps back to attention when the professor calls his name to answer a question, and Taeyong is left reeling. He feels like he just had a bucket of cold water dumped over him, making him dizzy. Did Sehun say _choking_?

Like a freight train hitting him head first, anxiety slams into him and leaves him breathless. His heart races, palms sweaty, and his body starts trembling. It’s like his body goes into shock, those few words sending his brain working into overtime and making him think about _so many things_ ; Johnny hooking up with Sehun, how many people Johnny has been with, Johnny being into choking of all things, something that was kinky and advanced and definitely far, far beyond Taeyong’s level of expertise- not that that existed in the first place.

It must be a little obvious that Taeyong is having a full blown panic attack in the middle of class, because the professor pauses, asking, “Taeyong, are you alright?”

Everyone whips around to stare at him, and he turns bright red, embarrassment flooding through him on top of the panic. He nods, scrambling to shove his belongings into his backpack and get to his feet.

“Yeah, I just-” He stammers, trying not to meet anyone’s gaze. Especially Sehun. Especially Junmyeon, or Jongin, or Taemin, or even Chanyeol. “I have to go, I need to-”

He cuts himself off after practically throwing himself out the door of the classroom, falling to his knees once he’s in the hallway and landing on all fours. He gasps for air, chest tight and uncomfortable, lungs constricting and making him feel like he can’t breathe at all.

“Baby boy?”

The pet name has a sense of relief flooding through his system, head snapping up to find Taeil coming down the hall, looking concerned. The alpha breaks into a run when he realizes it is in fact Taeyong on his knees in the middle of the hallway.

Tears sting at Taeyong’s eyes, and before he knows it he’s crying, reaching out for the alpha until Taeil is in front of him, scooping him up into his arms like he weighs nothing. Taeyong sobs into Taeil’s neck, gasping, trying to inhale his scent in the desperate hope it’ll comfort him like it’s always done.

It doesn’t, though. He smells the same as always, but it does nothing to Taeyong, just leaving him feeling empty and cold and listless. Taeil’s scent is tinged with something sharp that Taeyong has never smelled before, something distinctly alpha that he’s never really noticed.

“What happened, baby boy?” Taeil is asking, hand smoothing down Taeyong’s back in a desperate attempt to calm him. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?”

As he speaks, voices filter through the hallway, more and more joining the noise as classes are released. Taeil carries Taeyong quickly through the halls, not even needing to ask to know Taeyong needs to be away from other people right now.

There’s a rush of air as Taeil opens the front doors of the building and after a few seconds of hurried walking, Taeil is sitting down on a bench, letting Taeyong straddle his lap and cling to him like a child.

“What happened?” Taeil asks again, voice softer this time. “Tell me what happened.”

Taeyong has to hiccup his way through sobs, refusing to pull his face away from Taeil’s neck despite the alpha’s scent doing absolutely nothing to ease his anxiety. “I-I don’t know,” Taeyong gasps. “I j-just had a pan-panic attack.”

Taeil nods immediately, arms tightening around Taeyong, and while the younger appreciates being held, something felt innately off about the situation. It’s only after a few minutes of Taeil shushing him gently, trying to stop Taeyong’s crying to no avail, that Taeyong realizes what exactly is off.

“I-I need-” Taeyong begins, trying to find his voice.

“What do you need, baby boy?” Taeil asks. He manages to pull Taeyong back enough to meet his gaze, thumbing at the tears on Taeyong’s cheeks. “Anything.”

“Johnny,” Taeyong gasps out. “I need Johnny.”

Taeil’s face freezes for a split second, eyes hardening. The expression disappears almost immediately, the alpha’s face smoothing out, and than he’s back to normal, nodding frantically and digging through Taeyong’s backpack for the omega’s cell phone.

“Okay, okay,” Taeil says. His voice sounds distressed, like he’s desperate to help the younger. “I’ll call Johnny, okay, baby boy? Just please, calm down. Please stop crying.”

Taeyong nods, trying his absolute best to do as he’s told and stop crying, but it’s not very easy. It’s only when Taeil has dialed Johnny’s number and has put the phone on speakerphone, the line ringing out between them loudly, that his crying subsides, if only just a little.

“Hi, baby,” Johnny greets cheerily, and just has his voice has Taeyong sobbing again, his chest pulling with a terrible ache for Johnny to be there in person.

“It’s me,” Taeil answers, voice hard like stone. “You need to come get Taeyong, _now_.”

There’s cursing on the other end, and what sounds like Johnny scrambling around, car keys jingling in the background. “What happened?” Johnny growls, voice suddenly two octaves deeper and making Taeyong whimper.

“I don’t know,” Taeil admits. “Taeyong had a panic attack in the middle of class and now he’s having a full breakdown. He needs you.”

“Fuck, fuck,” Johnny hisses. “Can you put him on?”

“You’re on speakerphone.”

“Baby,” Johnny coos. His voice slides into something familiar and comforting, something that brings some relief to the ball of anxiety in Taeyong’s chest. If he weren’t such a fucking mess right now he’d have realized Johnny was using his alpha tone with him. “Baby, talk to me. What happened? Why are you crying?”

Taeyong scrabbles for the phone, holding it close to his face despite it being on speakerphone, wanting Johnny as close as possible.

“I don’t know,” Taeyong hiccups. “I need you.”

“I know, baby, I’ll be there soon,” The sound of a car engine revving in the background is proof enough that Johnny meant his words. “Five minutes, just wait five minutes. You can do that, right?”

Taeyong nods frantically, losing his voice in his throat again. Taeil watches him with a worried look, expression much like one of a mother trying to calm her child.

Johnny lets out a noise of panic. “Taeyong, baby, talk to me. You can wait for me, right? Tell me with your words.”

“Y-Yeah,” Taeyong whispers. He sniffles, trying his best to clear his throat. “I can wait.”

“You’re with Taeil, right? Taeil’s got you. He won’t let anything happen to you. Taeil has you.”

Taeil nods just as vigorously as Taeyong had, eyes glued to Taeyong’s face as he murmurs, so quietly Taeyong almost doesn’t catch it, “I have you.”

Taeyong fists his hand in Taeil’s sweater until his fingers turn white. “I’m s-sorry,” He mumbles, half to Johnny and half to Taeil. “Sorry I’m like this.”

“Stop it, don’t apologize,” Johnny says firmly, the same time Taeil says, “It’s not your fault, baby boy.”

The next few minutes pass agonizingly slow, Johnny asking repeatedly if Taeyong was alright and Taeil lovingly stroking the younger’s hair as Taeyong tries to stop crying into the collar of his shirt. It’s only once Taeil has told Johnny which building they were behind that the anxiety making Taeyong’s hand shake violently starts to subside, now that he knows for sure Johnny was close by.

Sure enough, he smells Johnny before he sees him, and when he lifts his head he spots the alpha rounding the corner of the building in a full blown sprint. Taeyong’s heart lifts from the depths of his stomach, and he lets out a noise that can only be described as a sound of delight at the sight of his alpha.

Johnny is there in seconds, lifting Taeyong right out of Taeil’s arms with no resistance from the other alpha. Taeyong wraps his limbs around Johnny like a koala, taking deep, greedy breaths of Johnny’s scent. It’s like magic, sinking into his bones and simmering his blood, unraveling the enormous knot of panic in his chest and making his body stop trembling.

“Fuck,” Johnny gasps out, panting from the effort of running across campus from his car. “Fuck. I got you, baby, you’re okay. Just breathe.”

Taeyong nods, squeezing his eyes shut and burying his face into Johnny’s neck. White noise fills his ears, mind hazy and calm now that his alpha was here, and he can barely register anything else around him. He almost doesn’t catch the way Johnny thanks Taeil, chest rumbling beneath Taeyong’s own, and the small, tight, “ _Of course_ ,” Taeil gives him in return.


	4. Chapter 4

Taeyong keeps his face tucked away between Johnny’s neck and shoulder until they reach a car, and Johnny gently pulls him away to slide him into the backseat. Taeyong’s tears have mostly subsided, his vision still slightly blurry from all the crying. It’s definitely not Johnny’s car they’re in- it doesn’t smell like him at all, but the scent is still familiar. Taeyong is able to pin a face to the scent when his eyes focus and he can clearly see Yukhei in the driver's seat, twisted around and watching Taeyong with a concerned look.

“What happened?” He asks. Johnny ignores him, instead getting into the backseat beside Taeyong, slamming the door shut so that the noises from campus were drowned out and they were left in the quiet of Yukhei’s car, the air conditioner blowing breezily and the car engine humming.

Johnny reaches out to cup Taeyong’s face properly now, brushing at the tear stains on his cheeks. The alpha bites his lower lip anxiously, and Taeyong feels guilt tug at his chest for having made him worry. In the front seat, Yukhei turns around and puts the car into reverse without a word, peeling out of the parking lot.

“Taeyong, look at me,” Johnny asks. His voice is soft but demanding, and Taeyong looks up to meet his gaze, feeling just a little bit stupid. “Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?”

Taeyong shakes his head, lip wobbling. “No.”

“Did something happen? What upset you so much?” Johnny looks genuinely concerned, brows knitted together and eyes searching Taeyong’s own. Taeyong hates this entire situation. He hates that Sehun’s words are still floating around in his head.

“I-I just,” Taeyong grabs fistfuls of Johnny’s shirt just to have something to hold onto. The alpha doesn’t even blink, refusing to break eye contact. “I just was in class, and I started overthinking things, and I ended up having a panic attack.”

Johnny nods slowly. “What were you overthinking?”

Taeyong has to swallow down the lump in his throat, scratchy from crying. “Us,” He whispers.

They pull up to a stoplight. Yukhei flicks on the radio, subtly turning up the volume in the front half of the car so he can’t hear them. Taeyong makes a note in the back of his mind to thank him later.

Johnny’s expression has just furrowed into one of more concern. “Why would you be overthinking us?”

“I don’t know,” Taeyong mumbles. He gestures at himself helplessly, feeling stupid and overemotional and like he’s fucked something up. “I was just being stupid.”

“No, you weren’t,” Johnny says quickly. “Don’t call yourself stupid.”

He reaches out and gently smoothes his thumb over the crease in Taeyong’s brow. Taeyong’s lip wobbles dangerously, tears threatening to spill over again, and he scrubs at his eyes, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Johnny’s chest.

Johnny’s fingers thread through his hair, comforting and ever so gentle. Taeyong’s heart skips a beat.

They both jump when Yukhei’s phone rings through the bluetooth speaker of the car, and Yukhei mutters, “Sorry,” before hitting answer.

“Xuxi!” Ten’s voice echoes through the car, crystal clear. “Jaehyun and I just found out that bar on the corner by the fish place is closing next week!”

Muffled voices in the background indicate Ten was somewhere with a lot of people. Above him, Johnny presses his lips to the crown of Taeyong’s head and stays there, hands still scratching his scalp.

“Yeah? That sucks, I love that place” Yukhei replies, voice casual. “I’m in the car with Johnny and Taeyong, so don’t say anything stupid, by the way.”

Ten lets out a gasp of mock offense. “Who do you think I am? You’re the one who was hellbent on sucking my dick the first time you met Taeyong.”

Yukhei lets out a noise like he’s choking, sputtering for a response. Taeyong can’t help but smile, and Johnny laughs quietly as well.

“Fuck you,” Yukhei finally manages to spit out, and Ten laughs too loudly, the speakers crackling from the noise.

“Anyway, come pick me up, I just got out of class,” Ten demands.

“I literally _just_ left campus,” Yukhei whines.

“Who told you to do that? Turn around, bitch.”

Yukhei grumbles to himself, but turns his blinker on anyway, turning into the left lane to make a u-turn at the next stoplight.

“Love you!” Ten says delightedly. “Tell Taeyong he’s a darling and I can’t wait to see him.”

Taeyong’s cheeks flush, and he doesn’t have time to respond before there’s a beeping and Ten hangs up, the music from before he called starting up again and filling the car.

“Are you okay if we get Ten?” Johnny whispers, pulling Taeyong back with a hand on his shoulder so he can look him in the eye.

Taeyong nods quickly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands. Johnny smiles at him, and the alpha reaches out to fix Taeyong’s hair.

“You look cute,” He suddenly whispers, voice quiet so Yukhei can’t hear. Taeyong isn’t expecting it, and his heart feels like it stops for a moment, voice catching in his throat. All he can do is stare at Johnny, face heating up even more, until he can finally have the sense of mind to mumble, “Thanks,” in response.

 

Ten gets in the car in a whirlwind of excitement, greeting Taeyong and launching into a story about how the bar that was closing was having one final big party tonight and how if Yukhei didn’t come with him to it he was going to withhold sex for three weeks straight. Yukhei sputters and turns pink, even when Ten reaches out to pinch his cheeks and coo when they stop at a red light.

Taeyong watches them from where he’s tucked into Johnny’s side in the backseat, and he has a brief feeling of jealousy at how comfortable the other two alphas were with each other.

When they arrive at the fraternity house, Taeyong is pleased to see the lack of cars in the driveway. Most of the brothers seemed to be at class, and Taeyong was grateful he didn’t have to go through the awkward greetings like he had at the party the other night- this time sober, which would’ve been ten times worse.

He’s finally calming down when they walk into the house, but than his heart drops into his stomach when he enters the living room and Chanyeol is standing there, car keys in hand, laughing at something another alpha sitting on the couch had said.

Taeyong immediately shifts to hide behind Johnny, feeling uncomfortably exposed. He prays to himself that Chanyeol won’t notice him, but Johnny, being the kind person he is, says, “Hey, Yeol,” and Chanyeol turns around.

The elder doesn’t look at all surprised to see Taeyong with Johnny, although he does give him a bit of a concerned look. “Hey. Uh, Taeyong, are you okay?”

Everyone’s eyes fall on him, and Taeyong looks down at his feet, pulling stubbornly on Johnny’s sleeve like a child. “I’m fine.”

“You really scared everyone,” Chanyeol continues. _Shut up, shut up, shut up_ , Taeyong chants to himself. “You looked like you were gonna pass out.”

“Are you in his class?” Johnny asks curiously.

Chanyeol nods. “Yeah. Did Sehun say something to you?”

Beside him, Johnny suddenly tenses, and Taeyong doesn’t miss the way both he and Ten’s brows furrow at the mention of Sehun’s name. Taeyong tries not to bite his tongue hard enough it’ll bleed, instead finally meeting Chanyeol’s gaze and saying in the best voice he could muster, “Who’s Sehun?”

Chanyeol gives him a surprised look. There’s a long moment of silence, until Chanyeol says, “Never mind. You just looked really upset.”

Nobody speaks, until Ten clears his throat loudly and announces, “The fucking fish bar is closing.”

The alpha on the couch leaps to his feet, looking horrified. “No!”

Johnny takes the distraction as a moment to usher Taeyong out of the room and towards the stairs to his bedroom.

Taeyong has never actually been in Johnny’s bedroom. When he’s led inside, he’s surprised to find the room extremely tidy. The blinds are open, so that sunlight filters in and bathes the room in a soft yellow glow, and, most surprisingly, on Johnny’s bed are floral bedsheets.

“I think Ten cleaned my room yesterday,” Johnny mumbles, half to himself, face a bit flushed.

Taeyong steps forward without thinking, gingerly sitting on the edge of Johnny’s bed. He smooths his hands over the duvet. It feels warm and comforting, the fabric pilling from use. When he looks up, Johnny is watching him with such a fond look, Taeyong’s heart leaps into his throat.

“I like your sheets,” Taeyong announces suddenly, for lack of anything better to say.

Johnny laughs. “Thanks. My mom bought them for me.”

Johnny moves to join Taeyong on the bed, sitting close enough to him that when the mattress dips from his weight Taeyong slides against his side. Taeyong uses it as an excuse to rest his head on Johnny’s shoulder. From behind, he feels Johnny put an arm around him, pulling him even closer.

“Are you feeling better, now?” Johnny asks carefully, voice soft.

Taeyong nods as best he can. “Yeah. Sorry for worrying you.”

Johnny leans in to press a kiss to the top of Taeyong’s head, a gesture that makes his insides melt. “As long as you’re okay.”

They sit in silence for a few minutes, Johnny rubbing Taeyong’s shoulder comfortingly. From downstairs, they can hear the other boys voices muffled between the floors. Johnny’s phone vibrates in his pocket, and when he pulls it out and reads a new message he smiles half to himself.

“So, you wanna go to the fish bar tonight?” The alpha asks, eyes twinkling, and Taeyong can’t find it in himself to say no.

 

**yuta** : _we gon see this fucking M O V I E yall_

**sicheng** : _*bass boosted* M O V I E_

**taeil:** _What time is the movie?_

**yuta:** _it’s at 8:30 but everyone needs to report to our dorm at 7 so doyoung doesn’t go full mom mode and panic that we’re gonna be late_

**doyoung:** _fuck you i don’t have a mom mode_

**sicheng:** _yeah, doyoung is a cool mom_

**sicheng:** _a hip mom B)_

**doyoung:** _i am so tired of you._

**taeil:** _Is Taeyong coming?_

**yuta:** _bitch i don’t know ask him yourself_

**yuta:** _he is literally in this group chat too_

**doyoung:** _taeyong if you’re reading this tell us if you’re coming_

**sicheng:** _he’s probably with johnny_

**sicheng:** _doing the nasty_

**doyoung:** _JUST SAY FUCK_

**taeyong:** _i’m here! i can’t come to the movie :(_

**sicheng:** _I TOLD YOU!_

**sicheng:** _HES DOING THE NASTY_

**taeil:** _Please stop this._

**taeyong:** _johnny invited me to a bar with some of his friends!_

**yuta:** _omg_

**yuta:** _which bar_

**_sicheng:_ ** _do the nasty in the bar_

**taeyong:** _i don’t know the name, it’s near a fish store? or something? ten calls it the fish bar_

**doyoung:** _oh yeah for sure, love that place_

**doyoung:** _(i have absolutely no idea what that is)_

**taeyong:** _well it’s closing and they’re having a big goodbye party tonight!_

**yuta:** _is ten gonna be there_

**yuta:** _who’s on the guest list. tell me now._

**taeyong:** _uh_

**taeyong:** _it’s me, johnny, ten, yukhei, jaehyun, and mark_

**taeyong:** _and i think this other boy in their frat chanyeol is coming and some others i don’t know their names_

**sicheng:** _CHANYEOL_

**sicheng:** _I KNOW HIM_

**sicheng:** _THAT GANGLY FUCK OWES ME_ _₩_ _26_

**taeil:** _Please be careful, Taeyong. Don’t drink too much._

**doyoung:** _and you guys call me a mom_

**yuta:** _let the boy live taeil_

**taeil:** _I’m just saying, they drink a lot in those frats._

**sicheng:** _why do you sound like a pastor that’s warning a church group about the dangers of college and alcohol_

**yuta:** _that’s pretty much what he is_

**doyoung:** _taeil is down with the Youths_ _™_

**taeil has left the chat**.

**sicheng:** _BITCH COME BACK YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME A RIDE TONIGHT!!!_

 

“Is that what you’re wearing?”

Taeyong looks up from where he’s sitting cross-legged on Johnny’s bed to find Ten in the doorway. The alpha was wearing an open button down and what looked like a pleated schoolgirl skirt, hair slicked back and eyes rimmed with black. He looked great.

Taeyong glances down at his own jeans and t-shirt. “What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s,” Ten gestures at him. “Boring. We’re going to a bar, not class.”

Johnny pokes his head out from his bathroom, where he was styling his own hair. “If you don’t want to change, just ignore him, babe. He does this to everyone.”

Ten shoots the other alpha a glare. “You’re telling me you wouldn’t want to see him in short shorts? Possibly a choker?”

Johnny makes a noise like he’s choked on his own spit, and he ducks his head back into the bathroom, looking embarrassed.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Ten says smugly. He turns his gaze back on Taeyong, grinning. “Come with me.”

Taeyong ends up in Ten’s room, sat on the alpha’s bed while Ten tosses a pile of clothes out of his closet, sifting through them as he searches for the perfect outfit. He has Taeyong try on what feels like a dozen tops and multiple pants. After the first ten, Taeyong just ends up standing in the middle of his room, letting the alpha dress and undress him as he pleases.

At some point, Yukhei passes by outside, and comes to a halt in the doorway, looking perplexed at Taeyong standing there in nothing but his boxers and a tank top that read, “ _Bitch_ ”.

“What is happening here?” Yukhei asks, sounding exhausted, like this has happened before.

“I’ve become a mannequin for Ten’s entire closet, apparently,” Taeyong replies dryly.

Ten pops his head out of his closet, pointing at Taeyong’s shirt. “Listen, _bitch_! This is a process, okay?”

Mark passes by than as well, peering in around Yukhei. He snorts at the sight of Taeyong, whipping out his phone to snap a picture. “God, that’s such a look.”

For some reason, Taeyong laughs, too. He feels oddly comfortable with these boys, and like he’s coming out of a shell he hadn’t even realized he had.

Ten ends up dressing him in black vinyl pants and a white button down. The alpha only buttons the last two buttons of the shirt. “It’s sexy,” Ten explains. “We’ll match.”

“Hoe, but make it fashion,” Yukhei adds in from where he and Mark had spread out on Ten’s bed to watch Taeyong’s makeover.

Ten ignores him, instead digging through his drawers for something. He comes back out with a choker necklace, the band a soft pink velvet, with a large o-ring heart hanging from the center. Ten looks giddy with excitement as he reaches around to secure it around Taeyong’s neck.

“Johnny’s gonna fucking love this,” Ten whispers in Taeyong’s ear as he hooks it into place. Taeyong’s throat almost closes up at the words, and he has to close his eyes and take a deep breath just to push down the panic from earlier threatening to overtake him again.

This time, though, Ten is close enough that Taeyong can smell his scent, and Yukhei and Mark’s scents mingle with it as well to create something that just seems to calm Taeyong. He feels safe surrounded by these alphas, and the knowledge that Johnny was in the other room, too, was enough to quell his panic.

“Oh, shit,” Mark exclaims when Ten pulls away to admire his work. “You outdid yourself, hyung.”

Ten smiles. “Yeah, I’m good, I know.”

“Why don’t you ever dress me up like that?” Yukhei whines.

“Because you’re twice my size,” Ten rolls his eyes. “If I tried to put one of my shirts on you it would rip at the seams, you hulk.”

Taeyong fumbles with his phone a little nervously before looking up at the alphas. “Can one of you take a photo for me?”

Mark leaps to his feet, grabbing for Taeyong’s phone. “I got this.”

 

**taeyong:** _IMG_2101.jpeg_

**yuta:** _OH_

**yuta:** _MY_

**yuta:** _GOD._

**sicheng:** _HOLY JFUFKDCK_

**sicheng:** _TAEYONG YOU LOOK SO FUCKING HOT_

**doyoung:** _IS THAT A GOD DAMN CHOKER_

**sicheng:** _FUCKIN NUT_

**yuta:** _i think i just died and went to twink heaven_

**doyoung:** _i’m about to start swinging_

**sicheng:** _i just realized we never invited taeil back to the chat._

**yuta:**

**yuta:** _oops._


	5. Chapter 5

The bar ends up being absolutely _packed,_ to the point Taeyong almost feels overwhelmed until Johnny puts an arm around his waist and pulls him close, and guides him towards the bar for a drink. The shirt Ten had put on him was thin and sheer, so that when Johnny’s hand lands on his hip it almost feels like skin on skin contact, and makes Taeyong shiver.

Halfway through the night and Taeyong is pleasantly drunk, sitting in a booth with Ten on his left and Yukhei on his right. The more Yukhei drank, the more that same expression from the other night came out, the one that was possessive and dark had left Taeyong feeling scared and vulnerable- except this time it was directed at any alphas that so much as glanced at Taeyong in passing. Taeyong’s pretty sure he even heard Yukhei growl at one point, and he’s grateful that in a drunk state the only thing Yukhei wants to do is keep other alphas away from him.

Ten was throwing back drinks like they were water, looking completely unaffected no matter how much he drank. Currently he was on his seventh or eighth shot, looking a bit bored.

“He’ll get there,” Johnny had assured Taeyong when the omega had voiced his concern that Ten wasn’t getting drunk no matter what. “He’s a heavyweight. It takes a lot to get him shit faced.”

Taeyong looks up from watching Ten drink with admiration when he catches a whiff of Johnny’s scent in passing. Through the throngs of people, he spots the alpha near the back of the bar, eyes narrowed in on Taeyong. He grins when Taeyong meets his gaze, and something zings straight up Taeyong’s spine, electric and heady, when Johnny motions for Taeyong to come over and suddenly slips into the men’s restroom.

Taeyong clears his throat, trying desperately to keep his hormones in check. He must do a terrible job of hiding them, because Yukhei snaps to attention, and Ten pauses in his drinking, nostrils flaring.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Taeyong announces, voice weak. Ten hums and slides out of the booth without a word, allowing Taeyong to scoot out as well. He can feel Yukhei’s gaze burning into the back of his neck as he walks away, and he thinks he catches Ten saying, “Down, boy.”

When Taeyong reaches the door, he’s pleased to see there’s nobody waiting to get into the bathroom. He raps on the door, gently, and a second later he hears the lock click and Johnny is pulling him inside.

Johnny crowds him up against the door, and Taeyong’s voice catches in his throat at the height difference between them, how this close Johnny looms over him and cages him in easily. The alpha’s eyes are dark and half lidded, cheeks flushed, and lips wet. Taeyong can’t help the little whimper he lets out, every fiber of his being screaming at him to submit.

Johnny squeezes his eyes shut at the noise, jaw tightening the slightest amount. He takes a deep breath through his nose before opening his eyes again, pupils blown out all the way.

“Fuck,” He mutters. His voice is deep and raspy, and just the sound of it has Taeyong shivering. “You’re so- You look so-”

Johnny seems to be having trouble finding his words, and he breathes deeply again, clearing his throat before trying again. “I’m going to kiss you, okay?”

Taeyong nods far too quickly. “Please,” He breathes out, voice so quiet he doubts Johnny even hears it.

When Johnny leans in and kisses him, it’s different from the first time. Before, it had been soft and sweet, gentle and filled with so much tenderness it made Taeyong breathless.

But this is different. Johnny kisses him like he’s got an agenda, like he’s already planning the ways he can wreck Taeyong later this night with just his mouth. He kisses him with urgency, mouth sweet from some peach flavored drink, until Taeyong feels like his legs are going to give out underneath him.

As if he can read his mind, Johnny reaches down suddenly and curls his hands around Taeyong’s thighs, hoisting Taeyong up with ease so he’s trapped between the wall and Johnny’s body, legs hooked around the alpha’s waist. Taeyong lets another little whimper slip between their lips, his skin tingling with excitement. The smell Johnny was radiating was so deliciously powerful, tinged with something dark and addictive, and Taeyong couldn’t get close enough to him.

“Fuck,” Johnny mumbles against him again. His mouth slides over Taeyong’s cheek, down his jaw and to his throat. Taeyong tilts his back easily, letting it rest on the door so Johnny has free access to it. The gesture has the alpha letting out an absolutely animalistic snarl against his skin.

Taeyong squeezes his eyes shut as Johnny sucks dark, blooming marks along the expanse of his neck. Something in the back of his head reminds him Johnny was doing this more for marking, as a sign for other alpha’s to back off, and Taeyong couldn’t be more thrilled. He lets out a whine when Johnny bites down shallowly on the junction between his neck and his shoulder, voice catching in his throat.

They both jump in surprise when there’s a banging on the bathroom door. It snaps Taeyong back to reality, the cheap wood reverberating the knock throughout. Johnny lets out a groan, resting his forehead against Taeyong’s collarbones.

“God damn it,” He growls. Taeyong can’t help but giggle, the mix of alcohol and pheromones enough to get to his head and make him feel dizzy and excited.

Johnny looks up to smile at the noise, eyes still blown out but much softer. He slowly lets go of Taeyong’s thighs, letting the omega regain his footing, before they both smooth down their own hair and Johnny casually opens the door.

A beta stands there, looking drunk and pissed off. Taeyong thanks God it wasn’t an omega, or an alpha, because than they would’ve smelled the scent of sex coming off both of them in waves and they’d have both been in big trouble.

“Come on,” The beta complains, glaring at them both. “At least tell me you cleaned up, assholes.”

“Nothing happened,” Johnny snaps back at him, guiding Taeyong out of the restroom with a hand on his lower back. “Watch your mouth.”

The beta grumbles something to himself, clearly too threatened by Johnny’s size and alpha status to say anything. He stomps into the bathroom instead, slamming the door closed.

Johnny leads Taeyong back to their booth, where Ten and Yukhei still were, this time joined by Mark. Taeyong can feel the eyes of multiple alphas on him as he passes, well aware of the fact the only thing keeping them from throwing themselves at him was Johnny. As soon as their a few feet away from the booth, all three alphas sitting looking up.

Johnny gently pushes Taeyong against Ten, who scoots over to allow Taeyong to sit next to him. Johnny sits beside Taeyong, leaving the omega well protected with two alphas on either side.

Ten seemed to be the most in control, barely blinking at the situation, even with Taeyong pressed against his side. Yukhei and Mark, however, look like someone punched them in the faces, staring at Taeyong openly. Yukhei has those same dark eyes, and Mark’s are wide, face flushed slightly. Whether it was from alcohol or something else, Taeyong couldn’t tell.

“Taeyong, you smell great,” Ten finally comments, face neutral as he leans in to scent Taeyong. Johnny doesn’t seem bothered by it, but he does seem bothered by Yukhei and Mark’s stares, glaring at them, lips curling. Taeyong tilts his head back just the tiniest amount to let Ten scent him, grateful for any attention with how pent up and sexually frustrated he felt now. “That’s why you don’t do it in the bathroom. Someone always interrupts you.”

Johnny’s jaw twitches, and he gives Ten a dirty look. “Yeah, thanks for the input.”

“Maybe you guys should go home,” Mark pipes up, looking down at the table now to avoid eye contact. “You’re attracting a lot of attention.”

Taeyong peers over Johnny’s shoulder. Sure enough, almost all the alphas in the bar were staring right at him, ignoring their partners or each other just to watch Taeyong.

“I know,” Johnny mutters shortly. “Give me a second, or I’m gonna rip someone’s fucking throat out.”

“Yeah, mine, I hope,” Taeyong says dryly, the onslaught of scents and drinks making him feel overly confident and witty.

Ten bursts out laughing, and even Yukhei snorts. Johnny looks like he’s trying to fight a smile, giving Taeyong a look of warning.

Eventually, Ten pronounces himself as bored and calls for an cab for them. Mark disappears into another car with Chanyeol and someone else (Taeyong thinks Jaehyun) to head to another party, and despite Yukhei’s complaints, Ten drags him easily into the cab to head home with him.

 

Now Taeyong sits squished in the middle between Yukhei and Ten, Johnny seated shotgun, his head tilted back on his seat and his eyes closed. Taeyong can see the way his chest works as the alpha tries to breathe deeply, clearly still affected by earlier in the restroom and Taeyong’s scent.

Taeyong almost jumps when Yukhei suddenly whines, leaning over so he’s slumped sideways and his head is resting on Taeyong’s shoulder. “I wanted to stay out,” The alpha mumbles, pouting much like a child.

Taeyong glances at Ten, who wasn’t even paying attention, too busy scrolling through his phone. After a long pause and a few more whines from Yukhei, Taeyong replies solely out of pity.

“I don’t think you could’ve gone much longer,” Taeyong says, half jokingly. He reaches out without thinking, brushing the bangs out of Yukhei’s face.

The alpha makes a satisfied noise, leaning into Taeyong’s touch. Taeyong takes that as an okay to run his fingers through Yukhei’s hair and scratch at his scalp.

Beside him, Ten shifts, tucking his phone into his skirt. “He likes you,” He murmurs, watching Yukhei with a fond look. “I swear he’s like a puppy sometimes.”

Taeyong nods, glancing down at Yukhei. Despite him being the second biggest alpha in the car, closely following Johnny, he looked calmer and more submissive than any alpha Taeyong had ever met. It reminds him of that night in the bathroom, when Ten had simply pulled Yukhei’s hair and had the younger alpha submitting to him with ease.

Without thinking, Taeyong grabs a handful of Yukhei’s hair and tugs, hard, enough to lift the alpha’s head off his shoulder slightly. Almost immediately, Yukhei lets out a throaty groan that’s definitely too filthy to be made in a cab, with a stranger driving them home. Yukhei meets his gaze, pupils blown out and eyes dark.

Taeyong looks at Ten, suddenly feeling like he’s done something he shouldn’t have. But Ten doesn’t look bothered, as always, although his eyes are half lidded and just as dark as Yukhei’s. His gaze flickers up to meet Taeyong’s, and he raises a brow, as though questioning why Taeyong had done that.

“Sorry,” Taeyong mumbles, letting go of Yukhei’s hair and smoothing it down. When he glances at Johnny, the alpha was watching him as well, expression similar to the one he had earlier in the bathroom, cheeks flushed, pupils blown out, dominant and assertive.

Taeyong swallows hard and removes his hand completely from Yukhei’s hair, trying casually to cover the front of his pants.

 

The second they get back to the house Johnny is tugging Taeyong up the stairs, blatantly ignoring the way Ten wolf-whistles at them as they head up. Taeyong can’t help his giggling, a mix of excitement and nervous energy flip flopping inside him.

When Johnny finally gets them to his room, he wastes no time pushing Taeyong against the door to kiss him like he’d done in the bathroom of the bar. The urgency is back, and this time Taeyong feels it too, suddenly desperate to touch, to be touched. He hears Johnny lock the door behind him, and he lets the alpha guide him towards his bed, heart pounding as he’s pushed down and caged between Johnny’s arms.

Johnny’s mouth moves from his lips to his neck again, and the alpha can definitely feel Taeyong’s heartbeat against his throat. Taeyong swallows, trying to calm his breathing as Johnny kisses his neck, his teeth dragging against sensitive skin and making the omega shiver.

“How do you wanna do this, baby?” Johnny asks, his voice rumbling quiet and deep in his chest. It makes goosebumps prickle all along Taeyong’s skin, and he has to take a second to find his own voice, too lost in the feeling of Johnny kissing along his collarbones.

“What?” He asks, breathless. His brain wasn’t catching up with the situation, not when he could feel something hard and _big_ pressing against his inner thigh.

Johnny stops moving his kisses slowly down, but he does slide a hand up Taeyong’s shirt, hand brushing over Taeyong’s nipples and making the omega jerk at the sudden contact.

“How do you want to do this?” Johnny repeats. “What do you like?”

Taeyong furrows his brow. He’s starting to realize what Johnny is asking, that he’s implying they’re about to have sex, and all the confidence he had gathered from the bathroom of the club was disappearing quickly.

“I don’t care, whatever you want,” Taeyong finally says, in what he hopes was his most self-assured voice.

Johnny pauses what he’s doing, and Taeyong curses to himself in his head for his own poor acting. The alpha lifts his head so he can finally look Taeyong in the eye, a twinkle of concern in Johnny’s eyes behind the thinly veiled arousal. Taeyong tries not to meet his gaze.

“Taeyong,” Johnny begins, voice gentler this time. “When was the last time you were with someone?”

Taeyong can feel his face flushing a bright red. Embarrassment floods through him, and he tries not to let his eyes tear up. Johnny probably thinks he’s so _stupid_.

“Taeyong,” Johnny says again. “Look at me.”

Taeyong presses his lips together and tries his best to look Johnny in the eye. The alpha looked genuinely worried now, brows knitted together and mouth curved down.

“Taeyong,” Johnny whispers. “Are you a virgin?”

Taeyong eyes sting with tears. He tries to push through them, reaching up to pull Johnny close to him again, mostly so he doesn’t have to look at him anymore. “It’s fine, it doesn’t matter.”

Johnny is obviously much stronger than him, so his pulling does nothing short of tiring out his arms, because the alpha doesn’t budge. Instead, he gives Taeyong an incredulous look, one that makes Taeyong’s stomach twist in knots. “Yes, it does matter. It matters a lot.”

Taeyong huffs. He can feel the tears starting to creep out, much to his own chagrin. “Why? I don’t care, you shouldn’t either.”

He must’ve said the wrong thing, because Johnny looks seriously offended, rolling off Taeyong and instead sitting on the edge of the bed beside him.

“I care a lot about that,” Johnny says, voice harder than before. Taeyong’s chest tightens at the tone. “You should care, too.”

Taeyong lets out a petulant noise like a child, rolling over so his back is facing Johnny and the alpha can’t see his tears (although he doubts he hadn’t seen them already). “Why are you making this a big deal? Just fuck me.”

“I don’t want to _just fuck you_ ,” Johnny says through what sounds like gritted teeth. “Your first time shouldn’t be like this.”

Taeyong can feel anger bubbling up under the anxiety. Why couldn’t Johnny just let this go?

He rolls back over and sits up as well, throwing his best glare at the alpha. Johnny looks surprised, which Taeyong takes as a point for himself.

“Are you upset?” Taeyong asks. He bites his own tongue, trying to keep all of the emotions overflowing out of him at bay. The situation was slipping through his fingers and he couldn’t catch it fast enough.

“No,” Johnny replies, but he furrows his brow again, frowning. “Why would I be upset?”

“Because you got screwed over,” Taeyong says, and it feels like his voice is coming out of his throat without his consent, like word vomit. “Because you got a mate that’s a naive little virgin when you’re the biggest player on campus and you’ve probably fucked the whole student body twice, and you ended up stuck with a dumb omega who had never even kissed anyone before when you’re into choking and deserve someone who can actually keep up with-”

“ _What_?” Johnny cuts him off, face twisting up in anger. Taeyong can feel the omega inside him shrinking back at the sight of an angry alpha. At his own angry alpha. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Taeyong wipes at his eyes with his palms, feeling shaky and overwhelmed with emotions. He tries his best to swallow as much air as he can, hoping he wasn’t going to have another panic attack.

“What about you?” Johnny suddenly says, and Taeyong can feel the glare the alpha’s giving him boring into the side of his face. “What about you and Taeil?”

Taeyong looks up at that, genuinely confused. “Huh?”

“Do you know how it feels to have a mate who another alpha’s bonded with?” Johnny lips curl back angrily, his eyes narrowed. Taeyong doesn’t like being at the other end of the alpha’s angry side. “Taeil is so in love with you and you are just so fucking oblivious. So I don’t say anything, and than you end up going back to him every time you’re upset instead of _me_ because you can’t even tell the difference between friendship and love,” Johnny reaches up and cards his fingers through his own hair, frustration evident in the hunch of his shoulders. “Jesus, Taeyong, you’re not just naive when it comes to sex, are you?”

Those last words make Taeyong feel like someone punched him in the chest. His stomach flips, and for a moment, he thinks he’s going to throw up.

Instead, he gets to his feet, ignoring how shaky his legs felt. He glares at Johnny, and Johnny glares back, both of them seething with words they still want to say.

“Don’t follow me,” Is all Taeyong can get out through gritted teeth, turning on his heel and leaving, the bedroom door slamming behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

**_8 missed calls from_ ** **johnny.**

**johnny:** _please call me back_

 

**doyoung:** _taeyong what happened_

**doyoung:** _johnny called yuta and said you guys fought and you ran off?_

 

**sicheng:** _are you okay :(_

**sicheng:** _just let me know you’re alive and weren’t mauled by some alphas trying to get home_

 

**yuta:** _pick up ya god damn phone before i track you down and WHOOP YOUR FUCKIN ASS_

 

**unknown:** _hi honey, this is ten. just let me know you made it home safe, okay? we’re all worried about you._

 

Taeyong stares down at his phone, the blue light filter making him squint in comparison to the dark around him.

It had been only about thirty minutes or so since he’d left Johnny’s. His eyes were itchy and stinging from crying, and his face was definitely still puffy and red. He felt stupid and anxious but most of all, he felt rejected. And he didn’t like that feeling at all.

Currently, he was sitting on a swing in the park just a few blocks away from the frat house. He probably could’ve walked home within fifteen minutes, but he didn’t want to see Yuta and Doyoung and have to explain why he left Johnny and why he was still hiccuping his way through the last of his sobs. It was dark out, the sky littered with stars and the crescent moon just barely shining enough light on the playground for Taeyong to see across the street.

He almost jumps out of his skin when the bushes near the slide start rustling. For a split second, every panicked thought runs through his head, things like, _Oh my God, this is it, this is how I’m going to die,_ or _An alpha found me and they’re going to try to claim me as their mate and I’m going to die_. What he definitely isn’t expecting, however, is for none other than Taemin from his Algebra class to step out of the bushes, coddling a small black kitten to his chest.

Taemin must be just as surprised to see someone else here at this time, because when he spots Taeyong he jerks like he’s been shocked.

“Holy _fuck_ ,” The alpha gasps, using his one free hand to clutch at his chest. “You scared the shit out of me, dude.”

Taeyong glares at him. “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly thrilled to see you here, either.”

Taemin doesn’t look bothered by his comment at all. As he comes closer, however, he seems to finally notice Taeyong’s red eyes and sour expression, and the alpha frowns at him.

“What’s wrong?” Taemin asks, tone softening. His voice slips into something familiar, something close to an alpha tone used to soothe panicked omega’s. Taeyong wants to slap himself for the way his heart balloons at the attention. “Why are you crying?”

Taeyong looks down at his feet, kicking the sand childishly. “I’m not crying,” He mumbles. He looks up when the kitten in Taemin’s arms meows and wiggles against the alpha’s chest. “Why are you in the bushes of the park with a cat?”

Taemin sits down gently in the swing beside Taeyong, smiling fondly at the kitten. Taeyong doesn’t think he’s ever really talked to Taemin before this, or even stood close enough to really study his face. The alpha was much prettier than Taeyong had thought, and his expression was about as softer than Taeyong had thought it could get.

“I live across the street,” Taemin explains. “There’s a litter of kittens that have been wandering around the park recently. I think they lost their mother, or she got hit by a car. Either way, I’ve been trying to round them up one by one to take home without Jongin noticing.”

Taeyong frowns at the mention of the other alpha, using context clues to assume the two of them live together. “How would he not notice you bringing home a whole litter of kittens?”

“Jongin’s pretty dumb,” Taemin admits, giving Taeyong a sly smile. “I just leave them on the porch in the morning, so when he wakes up to go to class he finds them and thinks they made their way to our place by themselves.”

"That is pretty dumb," Taeyong agrees, grinning at the thought of Jongin, such an intimidating alpha who always looked ready to tear someone's throat out, cooing at kittens on his doorstep.

As he speaks, his phone vibrates in his hand, the screen lighting up in the dark and throwing blue light across both he and Taemin’s faces. The kitten meows, and Taeyong can see Taemin reading the text before he can lock his phone again.

 

**taeil:** _Are you safe?_

**taeil:** _Yuta told me something happened with Johnny._

**taeil:** _Do you need me to pick you up?_

**taeil:** _Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you, baby boy._

 

When Taeyong looks up, he can feel Taemin’s gaze on him, burning against his cheek. Taeyong feels like he was just caught doing something wrong. They sit in silence for a few minutes. Taeyong thinks Taemin is giving him the chance to explain the situation, or maybe even tell him to fuck off and not read his personal texts. Taeyong says nothing.

“Did Johnny hurt you?” Taemin finally asks, voice gentle.

Taeyong’s head snaps up, shock apparent on his face. “What? No. He would never hurt me.”

Taemin nods, mostly to himself. “I didn’t think so, but you never know,” He says. He pets the kitten’s head slowly, looking down fondly at her as she begins purring. “Did you two get into an argument?”

Johnny’s voice rings in his head, sharp and angry; _you are just so fucking oblivious_. Taeyong’s throat catches, and he hums a yes in response, not trusting himself to speak without his voice breaking.

Taemin turns his gaze back on Taeyong, eyes gentle. The moonlight hits the curves of his face, illuminating his features, and for a moment, Taeyong’s heart softens, suddenly feeling safe beside the alpha. Like he could tell him what was wrong.

“Was it because of Taeil?” Taemin asks, voice quiet like it was a secret.

Taeyong’s heart feels like it concaves, and he tries to breathe deeply, chest stuttering, his eyes filling up and spilling over once again without his consent.

 

Taemin helps Taeyong back to his own house, offering Taeyong tissues and settling him in a big comfy chair. Taeyong hiccups a thanks through his tears, half crying because he was still upset and half because Taemin was being so nice to him even though he was just some useless omega in the alpha’s math class.

As Taemin disappears into the kitchen with promises of a cup of tea, Taemin hears the shuffling of footsteps coming down the stairs. The first thing he sees is Jongin, hair wild and in a matching set of pajamas, rubbing his eyes sleepily. The second thing he sees is three kittens, no bigger than his own fist, trotting happily after Jongin like they were following their own mother.

Jongin stops halfway to the kitchen when he spots Taeyong. He stares at him in confusion, blinking rapidly like he thought he was hallucinating. When Taeyong sniffles loudly, feeling uncomfortably scrutinized, Jongin seems to realize he was really there.

“Are you okay?” Is the first thing out of Jongin’s mouth. “Why are you crying?”

No, _why are you in my house_? No, _who is this omega crying in my living room_? Taeyong can’t help but start crying a little harder, so overwhelmingly touched by the alpha’s worry for him.

“Oh, fuck,” Jongin looks panicked, looking around the room as though trying to find something to help. “Fuck, please don’t cry, I’m sorry I asked-”

Taemin comes out of the kitchen then with a mug of tea, and gently bats Jongin on the back of the head. “Nice going, wolverine.”

Jongin gives Taeyong a genuinely apologetic look, mouth turned downwards. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean-”

“I’m kidding, relax,” Taemin interrupts again. He settles on the sofa across from Taeyong, placing the mug on the coffee table in front of the omega. “He was already crying when I found him at the park.”

Taeyong wipes at his eyes with the back of his hands, chest tight and making it hard for him to breathe. “Sorry,” He mumbles out, too ashamed to look at either of them.

Taemin gives him an appalled look. “Why are _you_ sorry?”

“I don’t know,” Taeyong says, voice shaky. “I just feel bad I stormed in here and I’m causing you trouble.”

“It’s no trouble,” Taemin begins, the same time Jongin says, “I was already awake because Taemin gave me blue balls and then just fucking left.”

Taeyong almost chokes on a sob, half laughing, half surprised. Taemin glares at Jongin murderously, a look that says, _I’ll deal with you later._

“Do we need to call Johnny or something?” Jongin asks, and Taeyong shakes his head quickly.

There’s a pause, and then Taemin asks, “Do you want us to call Taeil?”

Taeyong hesitates, looking up to meet Taemin’s gaze. The elder watches him for a reaction, and when the omega doesn’t move, Taemin begins to get to his feet. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Taeyong doesn’t really have it in him to argue anymore tonight, so he just nods, slumping back in the chair. Taemin heads into the kitchen again, presumably to call Taeil, and Taeyong is left alone with Jongin and the kittens.

 

Taeil shows up for him within fifteen minutes. Taeyong does his best to wipe all the tears from his eyes and make himself look presentable, but he knows it’s all useless as soon as Taemin opens the front door and Taeil sees Taeyong with puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks.

“Baby boy,” Taeil gasps, pulling Taeyong into a bone crushing hug. He’s engulfed in the alpha’s scent, something that used to make him feel safe and at home, but now just smells like any other alpha. He bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from crying again.

“Thank you so much for calling,” He hears Taeil say to Taemin. The other alpha murmurs something back Taeyong doesn’t hear, and soon Taeyong is being ushered out of the house and towards the cab waiting on the curb for them.

They slide into the leather seats, Taeil giving the driver an address before closing the door behind them. As soon as the door closes, and the car starts moving, Taeyong turns to look at Taeil, eyes wet once again.

“Hyung,” Taeyong whispers.

Taeil looks so upset, more than he should be, reaching out to wipe at Taeyong’s cheeks with his sleeves. “Baby boy, what happened? Did you-”

“Are you in love with me?” Taeyong cuts him off.

Taeil stills, hands still hovering by Taeyong’s face. “Huh?” He manages to get out, face blank.

“Are you in love with me?” Taeyong repeats. His lip wobbles as he speaks, and he has to swallow hard so his voice doesn’t shake. “Are you bonded to me?”

Taeil gives Taeyong a look the younger can’t decipher. “Oh, baby-”

“Don’t call me that,” Taeyong snaps, and he immediately regrets it when Taeil looks hurt. “Sorry, I just-” He takes a deep breath, wiping at his own eyes. “You need to tell me the truth. Do you love me?”

Taeil’s eyes dart to the driver, and back to Taeyong. He bites at his own lip before he responds, “Of course I love you.”

Taeyong’s heartbeat pounds in his chest. “But are you in love with me? Are you bonded with me?”

“Oh, Taeyong,” Taeil breathes. His eyes look glassy, and his mouth twitches downwards like it does when he’s really upset and about to cry. Taeyong takes that as a yes.

They sit in silence, the only sound the rumbling of the car's engine and the occasional clicking of the driver’s turn signal. Taeil watches Taeyong carefully, gauging his expression.

“How long?” Taeyong finally asks, voice quiet. “How long have you been in love with me?”

Taeil looks at Taeyong like he’s trying to peer into his soul, and it makes Taeyong feel vulnerable. “I don’t know. Since I presented as an alpha. Maybe even before that.”

Taeyong’s heart feels like a lead brick that drops into his stomach. “Since you presented? That’s… that’s almost ten years, hyung.”

Taeil smiles, and it looks just slightly bitter. “Yeah.”

“Why…” Taeyong’s voice trails off. He feels flashes of different emotions striking through him like lightning, fast and strong; sadness that Taeil was suffering, self-hatred that he was like this on account of Taeyong, anger that Taeil hadn’t done anything about it earlier. “Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Taeil gives him a look like he’s stupid, and it’s the only time he’s ever made that kind of face at Taeyong. “Are you kidding me? What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, just wanted to let you know that you’re my mate, but I’m definitely not yours. Have fun living with that burden.’” He sighs heavily, looking back down at his hands. “We were just kids, Taeyong. _You_ were just a kid. If you felt the same way, you would have known. I would have known.”

He looks up, then, and Taeyong feels like an arrow’s been shot through his heart when he sees Taeil is crying. Taeil smiles at him through the tears, looking almost nostalgic as he continues.

“I wasn’t going to tell you that and have you live with the weight of my feelings for the rest of your life. I know you, Taeyong. You’re sensitive. You care about other people, especially your friends. If I had told you, you would’ve spent your entire life trying desperately to like me back, and hating yourself when you realized you couldn’t.”

Taeyong hates that the alpha is right. He was already berating himself in his head, thinking of things he should’ve done, signs he should’ve noticed, things he could have done to make Taeil happy- like loving him back.

Taeil reaches out suddenly, resting his hand on Taeyong’s cheek. Taeyong leans into the touch, warm and familiar, trying not to cry himself.

“It’s okay,” Taeil whispers. “I’m fine just being here for you. You deserve to be happy with Johnny.”

The dam bursts again, and Taeyong lets out a sob that definitely makes the cab driver jump in shock. He throws his arms around Taeil, burying his face in his neck. He didn’t deserve such nice people in his life.

“I’m sorry,” Taeyong gasps, and he hears Taeil shushing him, his arms encircling him as well and gently petting his hair.

“You never need to apologize for how you feel.”

The cab jerks to a stop, and Taeyong looks up. It was definitely too short of a ride for them to already be at Taeil’s apartment, and sure enough, when he glances out the window, they weren’t there. They were at Johnny’s frat house.

Taeyong looks at Taeil. The alpha smiles at him, and for the first time, Taeyong sees what that softness in his eyes has always been; love.

Taeil tilts his head towards the front door. “You should probably go. Yuta said Johnny was freaking out because he couldn’t reach you.”

Taeyong nods, catching his breath. In the front seat, he catches the cab driver glaring at both of them in the rearview mirror. He hopes Taeil tips the guy well for having to deal with that emotional breakdown in the backseat of his cab.

Without thinking, Taeyong leans in to press a kiss to Taeil’s forehead. It’s something Taeil had done to him a hundred times before, something intimate and familiar between them. Taeyong can feel Taeil go still beneath him, his hands curling in the back of his shirt.

Taeyong pulls back, smiling. “Love you, hyung.”

Taeil’s cheeks are flushed, and he looks down at the floor, fighting to keep the smile off his own face. “Love you, too, baby boy,” He says quietly after Taeyong as he opens the car door and gets off.


	7. Chapter 7

Taeyong approaches the steps of the house gingerly, slowly. He can hear the taxi cab engine rumble as it ambles down the street, leaving him in silence on the porch of the frat house, left alone with his thoughts.

He does his best to wipe at his eyes, hoping his face didn’t look too puffy from crying. He can hear movement inside the house, but he can’t hear any voices. He feels bad knocking so late (a quick glance at his phone tells him it’s nearing two in the morning), but he doubts most of the alpha’s were asleep, or even home yet.

The door swings open as he has this thought, and his heart drops into his stomach, expecting Johnny to be standing before him, furious. Instead, Ten stands in its wake, brows furrowed and frowning.

The moment he sees it is indeed Taeyong, he lets out a sigh of relief, reaching out to pull Taeyong into a gentle hug.

“Please don’t run off like that,” He murmurs, voice low and lilted with an alpha tone. Taeyong straightens his back subconsciously, hiding the wobble of his lip in Ten’s shoulder. He’s disappointed in himself for upsetting the alpha at all. “You scared the fuck out of us.”

“I’m not a child,” Taeyong tries to protest, more for himself than the other.

Ten pulls back to give him a pointed look. “No, you’re just an omega spewing sex pheromones in every direction wandering the street in the middle of the night. In an alpha neighborhood.”

Taeyong can feel his cheeks burn hot with shame. “Sorry.”

Ten just sighs again, gently pulling Taeyong inside by the wrist and closing the front door behind him. “It’s okay. Johnny isn’t here, though. He went to your place to see if you went home. Do you want me to call him?”

Taeyong shakes his head, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I can call him,” He says, feeling small and just a little stupid.

Ten gives him a supportive sort of smile, and gestures towards the stairs. “You know where his room is,” He says, already turning on his heel to head back into the kitchen.

Taeyong is grateful for the privacy. He takes the stairs two at a time, glad no alpha’s were lingering in the hallway to see him before he darted into Johnny’s room and closed the door gently behind him.

Johnny’s sheets were still messy from where they had been laying on them, and Taeyong’s heart clenches up like someone had squeezed it between their fist. He crawls under the sheets and duvet, pulling it up and over his own head and inhaling Johnny’s scent.

It calms him almost immediately, filtering through his body like an inhalant drug that makes everything so much better. He can feel his eyes welling up again, although he’s not entirely sure why.

He fumbles for his phone in his pocket, and when he unlocks it the bright blue light burns his eyes under the darkness of the sheets. He scrolls until he finds Johnny’s name and presses call.

The alpha picks up after the first ring, a breathless,  _ “Baby?” _ through the receiver making Taeyong’s heart skip a beat and jump into his throat.

“Johnny,” Taeyong breathes out, voice just barely there. “I’m sorry.”

Johnny lets out a heavy, relieved sigh, one that carries through the phone and makes the grip of guilt around Taeyong’s heart tighten even more so. “It’s okay, baby. Are you okay? Where are you?”

“I’m in your room,” Taeyong shifts, the sheets crinkling softly to further his point.

“Okay,” There’s movement on the other line, like Johnny was walking, or maybe getting in his car. “Just stay there, I’ll be there, soon.”

Taeyong’s throat feels dry, and he swallows hard. “Okay.”

 

Taeyong must drift off, because he’s woken by the bed shifting, the mattress dipping to accommodate more weight as Johnny climbs under the sheets with him. His scent envelops Taeyong like a warm hug, and he wiggles around so that he’s facing the alpha, feeling a secure sense of comfort when one of Johnny’s hands rests on his hip to keep him in place.

He feels embarrassed, although he’s not sure why. Maybe he feels his reaction to the situation was a little too dramatic. Maybe he feels like it wasn’t justified. Maybe-

“You smell,” Johnny suddenly announces, nose scrunching up unpleasantly, and effectively stopping Taeyong’s running thoughts in its tracks.

Taeyong frowns, leaning down to smell under his arm. He doesn’t smell bad, from what he can tell.

“Not like that,” Johnny laughs. “You smell like another alpha.”

“Ten?” Taeyong supplies.

Johnny shakes his head, brow furrowed as he tries to place the scent. “No. I can’t recognize it.”

Taeyong twists his fingers in Johnny’s shirt, avoiding his gaze, as he recalls sitting in Taemin and Jongin’s house. “These alpha’s from my class found me at the park and got me home safe.”

Johnny’s eyes glitter with something. Jealousy, maybe? But instead, all he says is, “That was very nice of them.”

They lay in silence for a long time. Johnny moves his hand from Taeyong’s waist to card his fingers through the omega’s hair gently, and Taeyong preens at the attention, closing his eyes.

“Can I ask you something?” Johnny finally says, voice quiet so as not to break the moment. 

Taeyong hums in response.

“Did you think I wouldn’t want you if I found out you were a virgin?”

Taeyong opens his eyes, slowly. Johnny is watching him curiously, and the younger suddenly feels on the spot, nervous energy coursing through him.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t-” Johnny adds, when Taeyong doesn’t respond, but he cuts him off.

“Yeah,” Taeyong mumbles, eyes dropping back to Johnny’s chest. “I don’t know. Everything is new to me.”

Johnny nods understandingly. He purses his lip as he thinks, and Taeyong is left feeling extremely vulnerable, waiting impatiently for the alpha to respond.

“Do you think I’m a whore?” Johnny suddenly asks, and Taeyong almost chokes on his own spit.

“ _ What? _ ”

Johnny’s eyes curve up into crescents when he grins. “You said I had slept with the whole student body twice.”

Taeyong’s cheeks burn with embarrassment as the words he had spit at Johnny in anger come flooding back to him. “I mean-- I didn’t-- That’s just what I heard---”

“It’s okay if that’s what you think,” Johnny shifts a little tucking one of his hands under his cheek. “I mean, it’s not true, but I guess it’s a weird sort of compliment. In a way.”

“It’s not?” Taeyong prompts, voice coming out strangely hopeful. If Johnny hears it, he doesn’t mention it.

“I’ve only slept with one person,” Johnny tell him. “It was years ago, though.”

Taeyong can feel his heart pounding like a lead brick, thinking of Sehun coming to class reeking of Johnny and his comment about choking. But then Johnny’s words hit him.

“Years ago?” Taeyong repeats, looking down at his hand as he tries to piece everything together. “But Sehun--” 

He trails off, and when he looks up, he’s surprised to find Johnny giving him a bewildered expression. “ _ Sehun?  _ Like Oh Sehun?” 

Taeyong nods.

“That stupid fucking beta,” Johnny growls. “He stalked me for  _ months _ . He went around telling people we were hooking up for so long. I didn’t even know until Yukhei confronted him about it one day.”

Something in Taeyong feels like it sags in relief. His heart feels lighter than it has all night, and he doesn’t even hear what else Johnny is saying, because he grabs the alpha by the face and kisses him straight on the mouth.

Johnny starts laughing against his lips, big hands coming to rest on Taeyong’s waist and still him. “Does the fact I didn’t fuck Sehun make you happy?”

Taeyong nods stupidly, still kissing Johnny anywhere he could reach. Mostly on the cheeks, which were just a little bit pink. 

He settles down eventually, curled up against Johnny’s chest and exchanging soft kisses with the alpha. His alpha. He feels so calm, safe and wrapped up in Johnny’s arms, and his heart is absolutely bursting in his chest. He feels giddy and stupid and maybe just a little bit lovestruck.

“It was Ten,” Johnny suddenly whispers against Taeyong’s lips. “Ten took my virginity.”

This time, Taeyong does choke on his own spit.

 

Later, in the early morning, once Johnny had fallen asleep, Taeyong wiggles out of his arms and storms down the hallway, following his nose to the room that smells the most of Ten.

He throws open the door dramatically, ready to point an accusing finger at the alpha, but instead he finds Yukhei on his knees with Ten’s dick in his mouth, Ten sat on the edge of the bed with a hand in Yukhei’s hair.

At Taeyong’s entrance, Yukhei releases Ten with a wet popping noise and wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand. “‘Sup?”

Ten tugs hard on Yukhei’s hair. “Hey, I didn’t say stop.”

Taeyong tries his best to avoid looking at either of them, or listening to the enthusiastic slurping sounds Yukhei makes as he gets back to the task at hand. He stares at a particularly interesting spot in the ceiling, holding a hand against the side of his face to avoid seeing anything he wouldn’t want to.

“Johnny fucked you?” Is all Taeyong ends up getting out, and it comes out sounding like a question more than a statement of fact.

“Correction,” Ten says. Yukhei makes a gagging noise, and Taeyong winces. “I fucked Johnny.”

Taeyong completely forgets to cover his eyes, instead whipping his head down to stare at Ten and his most definitely above average sized dick shoved down Yukhei’s throat. “With that monster?!” Taeyong gasps, voice coming out horrified.

Ten just laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey look at that i finally finished it. :') i love this fic so much, i know i was shitty at updating it but it's actually the first chaptered fic i've finished so hype for meeee  
> i know that ending was short as hell but also i don't care because it's my fic and that's how i wanted to end it fight me if you disagree (you can't, it's my fic). also i'm 99% sure i'm going to do a continuation of this au with ten/lucas and also johnyong finally fucking because yall deserve it for sitting through this.  
> in case you didn't know, the title comes from a song of the same name by saint motel! which i highly recommend you listen to, it's cute as heck  
> thanks for sticking around!


End file.
